TPC Sawgrass, a golf course known for its ruthless nature, gave Min Woo Lee an experience he won’t soon forget. At one moment, Lee was perched on the leaderboard’s peak, eyeing a career-defining victory. But in the blink of an eye, he was plunged into a battle against swirling winds, penalty drops, and double bogeys, ultimately plummeting down the rankings. Such is the merciless nature of golf.
By the close of Saturday’s third round at the Players Championship, Lee’s score had ballooned to a six-over-par 78, causing him to slide from pole position to seven strokes behind the leader, J.J. Spaun. This was undoubtedly a bitter pill to swallow for Lee, but he didn’t let the disappointment get the better of him. Instead, he took to Instagram to express his gratitude to his supporters while acknowledging his setback.
“Brutal one today. Live and learn. Hope for a better one tomorrow. Support was very cool today,” Lee posted on his account. In the spirit of resilience, Lee encapsulated his experience with the three-word mantra — “Live and learn.”
The third round of the tournament began promisingly for Lee. He had shot scores of 67 and 66 in the first two rounds, putting him in a joint lead with Akshay Bhatia. However, the third day proved to be a cruel twist of fate for the golf pro.
The trouble began at the par-4 fifth hole when a gusty wind turned a routine tee shot into a nightmare. Lee’s ball veered sharply to the left, flew over a crowd of spectators, and vanished into the bushes. The situation deteriorated further when Lee was forced to take a penalty drop after an unsuccessful ball search. This put him on the back foot, attempting to mitigate the damage.
The situation got even messier as Lee managed to get the ball onto the green, only for his putt to slide past the hole. This led to an unfortunate double bogey that started with just a stray tee shot. But the trouble didn’t stop there. Another double bogey on the ninth hole stripped him of his momentum, and the rest of the round was a battle against the unforgiving Sawgrass course.
Despite the setbacks, Lee’s fighting spirit never wavered. His sole birdie of the day came on the 18th hole, thanks to a long-range putt from off the green. It was a small consolation that reminded everyone of the talent that had initially put him in contention. However, by the end of the round, he had slipped to T16, seven strokes behind the leader, J.J. Spaun.
Climbing from T16 to the top in one round may seem like a tall order. And while it’s uncertain if Min Woo Lee will clinch the title this time, it’s worth noting that this is just the beginning of the season. There are many more tournaments to come. Saturday may have been a tough day on the course, but if there’s one thing that golf — and Min Woo Lee — reminds us, it’s that every new round brings an opportunity to turn things around.
