After finishing 22nd in the Olympics, Min Woo Lee is playing for a spot in the PGA Tour playoffs

The Olympic experience meant so much to Min Woo Lee that he’s taken his Aussie team bag to the PGA Tour with millions, not gold, now his focus.

Goals change quickly for professional golfers and while Min Woo Lee may be using his Australian Olympic golf bag at the Wyndham Championship, his aim isn’t gold, it’s to secure his first-ever spot at the PGA Tour playoffs.

Lee, who finished 22nd in Paris, is back on course in North Carolina for the final regular season event needing a good result to keep his maiden season alive and get among the players vying for more than $60m in prize money over the next month.

Playing his first full season on the PGA Tour, Lee, the world No.36, is 62nd on the FedEx Cup rankings, hovering dangerously close to the top-70 bubble to make the first playoff event in Memphis.

Only the top 30 players make it to the season-ending Tour Championship.

Lee’s Olympic teammate Jason Day and Cam Davis are the only Australians ranked higher, with Adam Scott also outside the top 70 and not in the field this week.

Bag swag levels are through the roof.@MinWoo27Lee is still repping 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/uVMbP2Xvbx

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 7, 2024

Buoyed by his Olympic experience, and recovering from a “garbage” start, Lee is ready for the season climax.

“It’s special. Obviously, representing your country, there’s a little bit of pressure. Obviously, the first day, I felt devastated,” he said.

“Felt like I let the country down but made sure I bounced back and I thought I did a pretty good job the next three days.

“I’m looking forward to the next couple tournaments.”

Ireland’s Shane Lowry is another who made the mad dash from Paris to the Sedgefield Country Club desperate to try to secure his first-ever spot in the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta.

He said the Olympic experience, having carried the Ireland flag at the opening ceremony, was an “an amazing week for golf” and solidified the sport as a crucial part of the Games.

“It was an amazing week for golf in the Olympics, and I think it will grow going forward,” he said.

“Obviously, we had a great podium as well, which helps, and great people to help promote the game as well.

“I think as regards golf in the Olympics, I think it should be here to stay.

“I think for me personally it was some of the best 10 days of my career from carrying the flag for Ireland in the opening ceremony to going out there and playing for my country.”

Originally published as After finishing 22nd in the Olympics, Min Woo Lee is playing for a spot in the PGA Tour playoffs