Minjee Lee won the LPGA’s BMW Ladies Championship in a playoff, and her brother Min Woo Lee likely cemented a trophy of his own – a 2024 PGA TOUR card.
Lee, 25, carded a final-round, 5-under 65 at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, ascending 12 spots on the leaderboard for a T6 finish at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club. Collin Morikawa won the tournament proper by six strokes, on a strength of a final-round 63. Lee finished eight shots off the pace, but he’ll depart Japan perhaps happier than anyone not named Morikawa.
Non-members who equal or surpass No. 125 on the final FedExCup Fall standings (finalized after the RSM Classic) will earn 2024 PGA TOUR membership. Lee’s four-way T6 at the ZOZO is the equivalent of 88.75 FedExCup points, bringing his season total to 505.449 non-member points. That would currently rank No. 94 on the FedExCup with three events remaining.
“It’s been amazing … I’m really happy with the result,” Lee said of his week in Japan. “I didn’t feel overly great with, I guess, my score; the result’s actually really good. A lot of pressure getting my card and trying to play well … just happy to move on and get my card.”
The effusive 25-year-old Australian, of Korean descent, has notched four top-10s in 14 TOUR starts this season, including a T6 at THE PLAYERS Championship and T5 at the U.S. Open. His game has been battle tested on the biggest stages, and now he’ll be able to test it across the 2024 TOUR slate.
Lee also stands No. 5 on the DP World Tour’s season-long Race to Dubai; he was already on track to earn a TOUR card via a newly instituted category, whereby the top 10 on the final Race to Dubai Rankings (not otherwise exempt) will earn dual membership on the 2024 PGA TOUR. With Lee earning his TOUR card via the top-125 non-member category, an additional DP World Tour player will earn a TOUR card.
Lee began the final round in Japan with a hole-out eagle at the 405-yard, par-4 first hole, and he closed the day with a birdie. A fitting stamp on a week that solidified 2024 TOUR membership – with his sister earning her 10th LPGA title, to boot.
“I follow him every single event,” Minjee said. “I’d never say it to his face, but he plays really well and I’m always really proud of him.”
Plenty to be proud of, indeed.
