The now 24-year old Western Australian has carried a “can’t-miss” label that whole time. So it was no surprise to hear NBC commentator, Notah Begay’s comment: “You want to talk about swagger? This kid has got it”.

But still, victory in The Players Championship would represent a big step-up for a young man whose biggest win in a so-far four-year professional career is the 2021 Scottish Open.

Yet here he is – one of the last men into the field as the 50th-ranked player on the planet – with a real opportunity to claim the so-called ‘fifth major’. With 18-holes to play over a TPC Sawgrass course that gave up all kinds of low third-round scores (the highlight Tom Hoge’s ten-under par 62), Lee sits in second place on 12-under-par, two shots behind 54-hole leader Scottie Scheffler.

In what has so far been an eventful week, Lee got off to the best possible start by holing-out his approach to the 1st green. Five birdies and one bogey (a four-foot putt horse-shoed out on the 18th green) followed that opening eagle as the Aussie vied for first place with the reigning Masters champion. Only another Aussie, Cam Davis, is less than five shots behind Scheffler.

“It was an amazing, amazing day,” said Lee, who would earn a cool US$4.5m if he goes on to claim this prestigious title. “Arriving at 17 and 18 and hearing the crowd chant – that’s all I'm asking for. I just had a lot of fun today. And I did a lot of the right things. Hopefully I can do it again tomorrow.”

The support Lee heard and felt over the closing holes was nothing new, of course.

Min Woo whips the crowd into a frenzy at the famous par-3 17th on Saturday. PHOTO: Logan Bowles/PGA TOUR via Getty Images.

“From the start there was a lot of people that were going for me just because they're probably nice people and they want me to do well,” he continued. “It's really special to get that chant. I had that same thing at the Aussie PGA last year. But it was even cooler here on 17 at Sawgrass; you can't ask for anything more. I love playing in front of a crowd, and I love entertaining them.”

All of which has come early in Players Championship terms. Other than the inaugural event in 1974, only two men (Hal Sutton in 1983 and Craig Perks in 2002) have claimed the title on their maiden visit to PGA Tour headquarters.

“Tomorrow could be the biggest day of my life,” acknowledged Lee. “But I'm going to go out there and have fun again. It's been the motto for the last three months; not taking it too seriously. I like to have fun and interact with the fans when I can. Unlike other players; they’re very serious. So I'm just out here enjoying my time. I just crept into this tournament so I’m making the most of it and soaking it all in.

“I'm looking forward to the last round,” he continued. “It's obviously going to be a challenge. Scottie's playing really good. I’m just going to go out there and have fun and hit the best I can. The top three guys in the world – of which he is one – are unbelievable. They are playing such good golf week-in, week-out. That’s where I want to be one day. Scottie is so comfortable out there. It’s pretty special what he is doing. Hopefully I can take him down tomorrow. But it will take a big effort.”

How well that philosophy will work out on a course likely to be considerably firmer and faster than the relatively soft lay-out overnight rain served up for the third round remains to be seen. But whatever the conditions, there is no way Scheffler will be taking anything for granted. He needs nothing worse than a three-way tie for fifth to reclaim the No.1 spot on the world rankings, but the American is clearly well aware of the less-widely celebrated individual he will play alongside on day four.

“The conditions are going to be pretty tough,” said Scheffler, who has led or co-led after 54-holes on six previous occasions. “From what I hear, it's going to be pretty gusty winds tomorrow in the afternoon, so it should be a good challenge. And yes, I do know Min Woo. He's very, very talented. I don't know how much y'all may know about him, but I've heard about him for a long time.”

RIGHT: Standing in Lee's way is World No.2 and reigning Masters champion Scottie Scheffler. PHOTO: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images.

So a gritty contest is in prospect. Not only will a chasing pack containing the likes of Tommy Fleetwood, Christiaan Bezuidenhout and, more remotely, Justin Rose and Jordan Spieth, surely produce at least one or two challengers, based on what has gone on so far this week, anything might happen in the world of Min Woo Lee.

Even the eagle with which he began day three wasn’t quite what it seemed. Clearly an honest soul, Lee revealed a sense of humour when he admitted to having “thinned” the 112-yard shot.

“I ‘piped’ my driver down there,” he said. “But the ball was on a little bit of a downslope. My caddie, Stew, and I were in between clubs. Luckily I thinned a nice 55 (degree wedge) in there. It one-hopped and back-spun in the hole. So it wasn't a perfect shot. But it looked good on TV. Actually, I won't say I thinned it; keep that between us.”

That isn’t the only talking point in what has been an eventful week for the former U.S. Junior champion. Having scraped into the field by “one eighth of a shot,” Lee was six-under-par for his opening round when, on the 14th tee, he “overstretched” his right calf. The resulting cramp required multiple treatments just to get him through the next five holes in level par. But that was only the latest chapter in Lee’s most recent medical history.

Before the calf cramp came the allergic reaction on his face.

“Tomorrow could be the biggest day of my life. But I'm going to go out there and have fun again." - Min Woo Lee.

“My eyes were swollen,” said Lee. “When I got to the course on Sunday from Bay Hill I hit about four balls on the range before deciding I couldn’t do any more. I wouldn't want to show you what my face was like. It was bad. There was lots of red, which wasn’t ideal. It got to the point where, when I arrived on Sunday I couldn't even go out on the course. My eyes were half shut.”

The prescribed solution was “pickle juice.” But Lee went with coconut water. Which turned out to be insufficient to prevent the aforementioned cramp.

“The calf was a random thing, just out of nowhere,” he said. “But it happens when you don't drink electrolytes. I hadn’t been drinking electrolytes for a few days, so that's probably part of what happened. All in all, I’m pretty happy to be standing here talking to you guys (the media) right now.”

He’ll be even happier if, 24 hours on, he’s back again with a trophy in his hands. And a big cheque in his pocket.