Min Woo Lee edges out world No.1 Scottie Scheffler to win Houston Open

Australian golfer Min Woo Lee has held on for an “unbelievable” maiden PGA Tour win less than two weeks out from the Masters.

Min Woo Lee has secured his maiden PGA Tour win, holding off world No.1 Scottie Scheffler to claim victory by one stroke at the Houston Open.

Surviving an errant drive that ended up in the water and led to a bogey on the par-five 16th at the Memorial Park layout, Perth product Lee then showed nerves of steel on the 18th with an up and down from off the green to save par and shoot a final-round 67 to finish at 20-under.

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It was just enough to get the better of Scheffler and Gary Woodland, who both finished at 19-under after shooting respective final rounds of 63 and 62.

The win was Lee’s first in 56 PGA Tour events and his first victory anywhere since his Australian PGA Championship triumph at Royal Queensland in November 2023.

The 26-year-old picked up a cool A$2.7 million in prize money for his maiden win in America.

Min Woo Lee of Australia celebrates with the trophy after winning the Houston Open. Photo: Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images/AFP.

It was also a timely return to winning form for Lee ahead of the first major of the year, the Masters, which starts at Augusta on Thursday week.

Lee had to work hard to seal his win though.

Congrats to digital dynamo Min Woo Lee, overcoming a blocked-drive splash bogey to hold off the Closest Thing To Tiger Woods, Scottie Scheffler, for his first PGA win, in Houston. Wouldn't be shocked to see these 2 in the final Sunday 2some at Augusta in 2 weeks.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) March 30, 2025

Min Woo Lee shoots rounds of 66, 64, 63 and 67 to win the Houston Open by 1 from Scottie Scheffler and Gary Woodland. It’s the 5th worldwide win of his career but his very first on the PGA Tour and he held off the world number 1 in his home state to do it. Cooking! 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/TKv1fgW0qE

— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) March 30, 2025

He had a nervy moment when he was made to take an unplayable at the par 5 eighth after an errant tee shot.

The penalty did not prove too costly as Lee managed to punch his third shot back out onto the fairway, and get up-and-down for a crucial par save.

Not everyone was left impressed by his superb recovery act however, with playing partner Alejandro Tosti complaining to rules official about how long the process of taking an unplayable took.

Min Woo Lee celebrates his first PGA win. Photo: Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images/AFP.

Lee was thorough in the process, trying to figure out if he could play the ball from under the bush without having to accept a penalty.

His caddie, the experienced Brian ‘Bo’ Martin, told Lee that “I don’t think that’s ever the shot” as the Aussie got on his knees to practice trying to hit it out of trouble.

Lee’s tee shot on 18 went wide of the fairway before he went through the back of the green with his second, which left him 53 feet from the hole.

But with the tension building, Lee produced a brilliant putt to within inches of the hole, allowing him to tap in for par and victory.

Min Woo Lee is in strong form heading into the Masters. Photo: Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images/AFP.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Lee, who led by four strokes after the third round.

“It was a big mental grind and I’m very proud. Scottie was right there, and it was nerve-racking.

“I’ve been playing a lot of good golf over the last couple of months, so to get it done … I’m so proud.

“Let’s keep it going.”

At this year’s Players Championship, Lee was the co-leader after 36 holes but fell away over the final two rounds to finish in a tie for 20th.

Lee had tied for sixth at the Players Championship in 2023 after shooting 76 in the final round, before sharing fifth place at that year’s US Open.

Last year he finished runner-up at the Cognizant Classic and the Rocket Classic.

“To be honest, those (iron play and putting) were probably the two sides of the game that were a little bit streaky,” Lee said besides the 18th green shortly after dropping the final putt.

“To get it done and hit shots that I didn’t trust a month ago, it’s unbelievable. It was a big mental grind and I’m very proud.

“The Houston crowd was awesome. Obviously Scottie was right there and it was nerve wracking.

“Coming down the stretch, obviously I don’t try to hit that far right on the par 5 and somehow I hit it 80 yards off line. That’s just golf.

“My caddie Bo told me to keep my head in. 72 holes like the other 71 holes. I’m very proud.”

Houston Open final

Min Woo Lee: 20-under

Scottie Scheffler, Gary Woodland: 19-under

Sami Välimäki: 17-under

Wyndham Clark, Rory McIlroy, Alejandro Tosti, Taylor Pendrith: 15-under

Originally published as Min Woo Lee edges out world No.1 Scottie Scheffler to win Houston Open