Min Woo Lee & # 039; s European agony

Min Woo Lee was at a distance from a full playing card in Europe. Image: Getty

The young gun from Australia, Min Woo Lee, was missed by two sore spots on a full European Tour playing card … a month after he believed he was safe and profitable for 2020.

Lee finished 63rd in the Portuguese Masters this weekend and earned another check.

But when the last ranking of Race To Dubai came down, he was 117th on the list, lower than 110th the week before.

His management told Golf Australia that the top 115 cards would receive as soon as other categories are taken into account.

Hence, 21-year-old Lee misses because of a complicated two positions, possibly just a few dollars, or a shot or two.

However, he will have a conditional "category 18" status that will give him some start if he chooses to take them, possibly around 15 tournaments.

Coach Ritchie Smith said that Lee was stripped, but that he would jump ahead with the chance to play on a conditional card.

"It's a fair kick in the teeth," says Smith. "But I think he'll be fine. To put it that way, if he can't make enough money in those 15 or 20 to stay on the tour, he probably shouldn't be there."

Smith said that Lee texted him from Portugal with the news that he was not safe despite all his camp and Lee himself believed until then that he had already collected a card from accumulated points. Smith was shocked; they had believed that the cut-off point would be around 380 points, and Lee had more than 400. He ended with 440.

"In the end he will probably be missed by a shot, or if you want to continue, probably around 20 dollars," the coach and mentor from Perth told both Min Woo and sister Minjee. “In the larger picture, it could be a good thing because it will give him time to develop his game. He has to get used to playing for a living. Now there is a finite measurement of what he is doing. It used to be & # 39; go out and do your best & # 39 ;. "

Lee played 15 invitations this year and earned 297,000 euros, the fourth in the Saudi International and the fifth in the World Super Six in Perth. He led the tour at a distance of 322 meters. But it wasn't quite enough.

Lee, from Royal Fremantle, is a member of the golf team at Golf Australia. He had an excellent amateur career, won an American junior amateur title and became a professional early in 2019.

Smith said that Lee should not deviate from the plan to tackle Europe. "I still think this is the right way," he said. "The money is good, the courses are more Australian, the people match how Australians are aligned."

Meanwhile, a late Lucas Herbert late season fight has helped the Victoria maintain his full status on the European Tour for 2020 after finishing the 106th in the Race to Dubai ranking.