Min Woo Lee Dominates Tour Championship Opener with Career-Best 62 at East Lake
Min Woo Lee announced his arrival at the Tour Championship in emphatic fashion, firing an electrifying 8-under-par 62 to seize a two-shot lead after the opening round at East Lake Golf Club. In his debut at the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup finale, the 28-year-old Australian matched his career-low round on the tour, setting the tone for a compelling chase of the $10 million winner’s prize.
Despite a rocky start to the playoffs, where Lee’s iron play was notably subpar, his transformation this week has been nothing short of remarkable. After two underwhelming performances in the previous playoff events, Lee admitted to feeling “probably the saddest I’ve been on the golf course,” describing his iron play as “the worst of the season.” Facing the pressure of the Tour Championship and the looming Presidents Cup, he took a bold step on Tuesday by testing three different iron shafts without prior practice, settling on a heavier True Temper Dynamic Gold S-400 shaft to temper his swing speed.
That gamble paid off immediately. Lee’s revamped setup enabled him to control his swing with renewed precision, reflected in his second-place ranking in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green. Complementing his iron resurgence was an impressive putting display, sinking 132 feet of putts en route to eight birdies and a flawless, bogey-free card.
Lee’s round was briefly disrupted when his playing partner, J.J. Spaun, withdrew due to a right shoulder injury on the sixth hole—a situation Lee described as “unsettling” at first. Yet, the young Aussie quickly regained composure, maintaining a brisk pace and posting three consecutive back-to-back birdie stretches to dominate the leaderboard.
“I just needed a change, and it was great,” Lee reflected on his equipment switch. “Everything that I tried to do, it was like, where was this the last few months? It was a gamble, but glad it worked out.” The strategic adjustment, advised by his coach who questioned why Lee was swinging too fast, has propelled him into the lead as the race for the FedEx Cup and the accompanying $10 million prize intensifies.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Lee to see if his newfound form can carry him to victory at East Lake, marking a breakthrough moment in his burgeoning career.
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