South Korea’s Lee Kyoung-hoon will try this week to become only the fourth player in the past 40 years to win the same PGA Tour event for three consecutive seasons.
The 31-year-old from Seoul enters the Byron Nelson tournament at par-71 TPC Craig Ranch in suburban Dallas with confidence after an eighth-place at Quail Hollow, his first top-10 result since January’s Tournament of Champions.
“My game is getting better,” Lee said. “A couple months ago, I struggled with putting, but I think last week it got much better. I think I’m ready for this week. I have a lot of good memories here and a lot of confidence.”
World No 44 Lee would match Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker and Australian Stuart Appleby as the only players to win the same PGA event three years in a row in 40 years, the most recent to manage the “Three-peat” being Stricker at the John Deere Classic from 2009-2011.
“It’s very good pressure for me and I’m very thankful for that opportunity,” Lee said. “I’ll try my best. If that happens, it’s really cool.”
Lee won his first PGA Tour title in 2021, shooting 25 under par to beat Sam Burns by three strokes. Last year, he fired a closing 63 to finish 26 under par and edge hometown hero Jordan Spieth, a three-time Major winner, by one stroke.
In his two triumphs, Lee has made 53 birdies and two eagles against only six bogeys. His combined 51 under par over two years is eight strokes below his nearest rival in that span.
Lee’s scoring average is 65.63 and his worst round is only a 68, with birdies on 16 of the 18 holes on the course in his eight total rounds.
Lee, who recently began working with New Zealand swing coach Grant Waite, marvels at the difference in himself between now and the days before his 2021 breakthrough victory.
“I’m more confident than before about winning tournaments,” Lee said. “It feels like the first win is very hard.”
Among those trying to deny Lee’s “Three-peat” bid is world No 2 Scottie Scheffler, playing in the hometown event where he made his PGA Tour debut as he prepares for next week’s PGA Championship.
“I’m just trying to gear up. This week is a good prep week for me,” Scheffler said. “It’s nice to be at home. I have very special memories of this tournament.”
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© Agence France-Presse
