Asian Tour Yearbook: 2023

TYPHOON LEE STORMS TO VICTORY IN MACAU AUSSIE SUPERSTAR SMASHES RECORDS AND POOM’S HEART FOR MAIDEN ASIAN TOUR WIN Min Woo Lee [RIGHT] triumphed after making three eagles, 26 birdies and just two bogeys. M acau Golf & Country Club did exceptionally well in handling the devastating aftereffects of Typhoon Koinu that passed over the area on Monday of the SJM Macao Open week, but it had to kneel and bow to the brute force that was Typhoon Lee. Min Woo Lee was sensational in winning the tournament that has remained one of the most popular stops of the Tour since 1998 but was resuscitated after a gap of five years because of the pandemic. The 25-year-old Australian phenom started in the most inauspicious manner – making a bogey on his first hole itself. The 411-yard, par-four 10th hole of Macau Golf & Country Club would trouble him later as well when he dropped another shot there in Saturday’s third round. However, apart from those two bogeys, nothing bothered the uber-talented Perth resident. On a course drenched by the buckets of rain dumped by Koinu, the long-hitting Lee was unstoppable as he racked up three eagles and 26 birdies in the remaining 70 holes, cruising to a tournament-record total of 30-under-par. Lee’s four-day effort was just two short of the Asian Tour all-time scoring record of 32-under, set by Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat at the SAIL Open in 2009, and 10 shots better than Scott Hend’s all-time best Macau Open winning total of 20-under par in 2015. It was his first Asian Tour title, beating a dogged Poom Saksansin by two shots. The unassuming Thai star, who has made it a habit of chasing superstars and battling them down the stretch, was snapping at Lee’s heels until the bitter end, before finishing at 28-under-par – eight shots better than his third-placed compatriot Phachara Khongwatmai (20-under par). Despite preferred lies in play on the short course (6,606 yards, par 71), it was a remarkable performance from the top-two and came in contrasting fashion. Lee dazzled with his 190 miles per hour ball speed that helped him surmount just about every challenge off the tee. Poom, 117 S JM MACAO OPEN MA C AU GO L F & CO U N T RY C L U B , MA C AU | O C TO B E R 1 2 - 1 5 | P R I Z E MON E Y U S $ 1 M I L L I ON