In summary

  • Min Woo Lee is targeting wins at both the Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Open during his return home this summer.
  • Lee credits time spent with Steph Curry and Lewis Hamilton for sharpening the discipline and preparation he wants to bring to his own game.
  • Six top-10 finishes in 2026, including a tied-fourth at the PGA Tour Championship, have fuelled Lee's urgency to finally break through with multiple wins.

The world No.31 is also taking notes on the sort of discipline and preparation it takes to be the best, declaring a strong desire to have that multiple-win season Lee’s outrageous talent deserves.

Lee set a home double this summer as a long-range target, too, putting the Australian PGA Championship at The Lakes and the Australian Open at Kingston Heath on the top of his 2026 to-do list, feeling like it’s well within his reach.

After netting the 2023 PGA at Royal Queensland, Lee fell just two shots short of taking the Open the next week after duelling with LIV star Joaquin Niemann across the weekend.

His life has elevated since, storming into the world’s golfing elite and establishing relations with the likes of NBA star Curry and Formula 1 legend Hamilton.

Lee was courtside last weekend watching Curry play for the Golden State Warriors and said every interaction was a chance to learn from the best at their craft, so he could be the best at his.

“I'm just very intrigued with how they go about their business,” Lee said from the USA on Wednesday; a little under the weather after also falling ill in India two weeks ago.

“I was just there watching Steph warm up, and it's just, I just have a smile on my face, because it's unbelievable how this guy does not miss, and he's like shooting off one leg and spinning around and just being stupid.

“I learn stuff from this, and I see a little bit of myself in Steph. I'm trying to keep it fun, and I'm trying to, you know, still be the best player in the world, but you can do it while being locked in, but also just enjoying it, talking with people. There are just different ways to do it.

“They all love golf, and I think I have a personality that they like.”

The link, though, remains their respective love of golf and Lee is doing his best to translate what he sees them do into his own routine, acknowledging that he’s always evolving, knowing what he needs to do without losing sight of who he is. 

“Even when I first turned pro, I understood it, but I didn't really incorporate it to my game,” he said.

“But now, I think the more I trust myself in my game, I just wanna showcase that more and practice harder, practice smarter, and just be like Steph in his sport.

“I feel like this year has been a very big turnaround from last year; playing some good golf at courses that I haven't played good at before … actually finishing really well.

“So, I think that put some belief in myself and my team, which is great.”

The next step for Lee is to translate that into more success.

Six top-10 finishes in 2026, including a barnstorming finish at the PGA Tour Championship where he tied for fourth, were indicative of Lee improving in key areas, like not letting one bad round be a blowout.

Not winning, though, has added a sense of urgency to get that next victory and win not just once, but multiple times. That is his aim for his return to Australia - to win both the PGA and the Open; a desire taking over his thoughts during a short off-season.  

“I should be shutting golf off completely, but just thinking on the plane from India and I had this motivation to win down in Australia,” he said.

“That's like the only thing this year that I really want to do. If I don't get it, fair enough, but you know, I think the mindset, just that mindset switch of, you know, we're there to win.  

“I'm very keen to show what I've got. I feel like I've proven that I can hit shots when I need to. Let's just try to do it more.”

Lee felt somewhat limited at last year’s Open at Royal Melbourne, having to shelve his favourite club, the driver, to navigate the shorter, but no less challenging composite course.

He expects to wield his weapon more at Kingston Heath; a course he said he hadn’t played enough to weigh into Rory McIlroy areas and compare it with Royal Melbourne.  

However, he does know the momentum a win on the Sandbelt could provide for 2027; something McIlroy has spoken about, referencing his 2013 win, so too Jordan Spieth in 2016 - both winning majors the year after their respective Australian Open wins.  

“We all want to win any tournament we play, but yeah, I think it just propels you into a great start to the next year,” he said

“I know it's technically 2026, but it's more of our off-season and if we play great there, win a trophy, you have a great mindset going into 2027. You are freer and if we play free, we all play good.

“It's definitely in everyone's head, you know, when they start; it's nice to have a good headspace.”