Every offseason, the whispers of PGA Tour stars defecting to LIV Golf swirl like clockwork. This year, one of the names caught in the crossfire was Min Woo Lee. But the Aussie star has officially put the kibosh on any speculation, making it clear he’s staying put.
“There’s been a lot of rumours. I’m not going and am just going to play on the PGA Tour,” Lee told AAP. “So I’m happy with where I’m at and, yeah, I’m looking forward to next year.”
Lee’s decision comes not just from loyalty, but observation. He pointed to the declining form of fellow Australian player Cameron Smith, who was once the world No.2 and Open champion. This year, though, Smith missed the cut at all four majors.
“Cam (Smith) was one of the best players in the world before he went to LIV, and I hope he can find a stride,” Lee expressed. “Great golfers, over time, if there’s more holes, they’re probably going to come out on top.”
The 27-year-old star’s own season had its highs and humbling moments. He clinched his maiden PGA Tour victory at the Houston Open in March, holding off world No.1 Scottie Scheffler in a gutsy final stretch.
But the momentum didn’t last long.
“It was great to have the win, but it’s tough because there’s not much time to actually regroup and think about it,” Lee told AAP. “You’re on a high for a while and two weeks later it was the Masters … the win was amazing, but the other part of the year was pretty average.”
“So that was something I had to work on,” he added.
Still, Lee’s Houston heroics didn’t go unnoticed. Pop icon Justin Bieber publicly congratulated him, leading to the development of a friendship between the two. They were even spotted playing some casual golf together.
Min Woo Lee Aims for Masters Return
Lee is currently ranked 46th and is on the edge of qualifying for the 2026 Masters. To get back to Augusta National, where he shares the record for the lowest front nine (an electric six-under 30 in his 2022 debut), he needs to stay in the top 50 until Dec. 31.
“Yeah, I never want to miss a major, the Masters especially. It’s one of the biggest tournaments in the world, so I’ll do whatever I can to get in,” Lee shared with AAP reporters.
To seal that spot, Lee has returned home for a crucial stretch.
He’ll tee it up at the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland from Nov. 27–30, followed by the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne the next week.
“I’ve just got to play good golf in the Aussie summer and hopefully I can lock it up,” said Lee as quoted.
While LIV Golf’s shift to a 72-hole format in 2026 may lure others, Lee isn’t biting. His focus is squarely on the PGA Tour, chasing majors, and joining his sister, Minjee Lee, currently world No. 3, as a major champion.
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