Min Woo Lee is feeling usually nonchalant about his probabilities of becoming a member of golf royalty with a well-liked Australian Open triumph in Sydney. Lee conjured some last-hole magic for the second day operating to arrange one other final-round duel with Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino and stay on observe to finish a golden summer time double on Sunday.
Golf’s new fan-favourite produced a superb sand-save birdie at the 18th to ship spectators right into a frenzy and Lee again to the highest of the leaderboard after Saturday’s third spherical. Lee’s roller-coaster one-under-par 70 was in stark distinction to his dazzling 64 on Friday, which he iced with a tap-in eagle at the 18th.
But it was sufficient to maneuver him to 13 beneath and a share of the lead with the equally in-form Hoshino, the final-round taking part in companion who Lee pipped to say the Australian PGA Championship final Sunday.
If he wins once more to hoist the Stonehaven Cup, the 25-year-old West Australian would be part of legends together with Greg Norman (1985), Peter Thomson (1967) and Kel Nagle (1959) to develop into solely the seventh participant to drag off the Australian Open-PGA double. Greg Chalmers (2011), Robert Allenby (2005) and Peter Lonard (2004) have additionally achieved the rare feat.
“If I win, I win and last week was last week,” Lee shrugged. “I played great then, so hopefully I can finish it off tomorrow. I know there’s a lot of history to it, but it’s just another tournament. If it goes well, it goes well.”
The co-leaders maintain a one-shot buffer over Englishman Alex Fitzpatrick, the youthful brother of 2022 US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, who carded a 66 on Saturday, and American Patrick Rodgers (68). Lee’s fellow Australian Lucas Herbert is simply two strokes off the tempo in outright fifth after a moving-day 66, with the remainder of the chasing pack at least 4 behind.
Lee is undoubtedly the favorite after overcoming some early wobbles and protecting it collectively with out his A-game. He dunked a ball in the water en path to a nasty double-bogey six on the par-4 third. The blemish opened the door for his pursuers, just for Lee to put up successive birdies on 5 and 6 to regain management of the championship.
After ending runner-up to Lee at Royal Queensland, Hoshino continued his personal sizzling summer time run to wrestle the clubhouse lead with a steely 65. The chilled-out Japanese was bogey-free and steadily climbed the leaderboard with 4 birdies and an eagle on the par-5 14th.
“Last week I couldn’t make the birdie on the back nine, but this week I have more birdies at the back nine to make the winning (possible),” Hoshino mentioned earlier than Lee joined him in the ultimate group along with his rousing birdie at the final. “This is the first time in Australia for me and I’m enjoying this atmosphere and also this tournament. That’s why I’m playing well.”
Lee isn’t the one dwelling hope in severe competition. US PGA Tour star Herbert was delighted after rising to fifth and shutting with a birdie after chalking up a double-bogey at the final on Friday when he signed for a 69 at The Lakes.
“I played well enough in the first nine holes yesterday to probably put that score up, but the back nine was a serious challenge,” Herbert mentioned. “I was just holding on for dear life and unfortunately lost the battle with one hole to go yesterday. I’m somewhere near it. I’m a chance.”
Cameron Smith’s probabilities of successful the Australian Open for a primary time look slim, with the 2022 British Open champion again in a tie for twenty fifth at six beneath, and 7 pictures behind, after a spherical of 69.
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