“I’ll describe her as a robot when she plays golf. She doesn’t miss fairways, she doesn’t miss greens, and when she putts well, she wins tournaments.” These were the exact words of Min Woo Lee when asked about his sister, LPGA superstar Minjee Lee. Despite this praise, the sibling rivalry will never stop, as the Australian shared a few laughs on social media when the topic of who has the best golf swing came up.

On a recent Instagram post by Golf Digest, Min Woo Lee was asked to blind rank golf swings of popular golfers. He placed his sister at 3rd and described her swing as “great”, but what surprised many fans was how he ranked Rory McIlroy above his sister. Well, there is no debate that both of their swings are among the best in the game right now. It’s no surprise that Min Woo Lee would favor Rory over his sister due to their sibling rivalry.

Many pros and coaches have a lot of praise for Minjee Lee’s swing due to how technically sound and consistent her swing is. Many describe her swing motion as efficient, and her effortless power and rhythmic tempo are often used as teaching models in junior and intermediate levels.

“She probably would have hit 19 fairways out of 18 fairways because she’s a robot. She’s very straightforward, and she controls the ball so well,” is what Min Woo Lee had to say about her swing, justifying why he placed her at 3rd and why many coaches use her swing as an ideal for many learners. 

On the other hand, Rory McIlroy’s golf swing has long been regarded as one of the most visually impressive and powerful in professional golf. This is due to how Rory has incorporated modern swing mechanics into his swing; he has immense rotational power around his hip and has a fluid transition, which allows him to control the landing and how he wants to roll the ball.

Min Woo Lee’s admiration towards Rory McIlroy is also no secret to the fans; he openly congratulated Rory on his career grand slam and also praised his “ability to stay at the top for so long.” While Min Woo’s rankings may have sparked some friendly debates, they also demonstrate the respect he has for both players: one is an iconic golfer, and the other is his own sister, who continues to dominate the LPGA scene every time she steps onto the golf course. 

From childhood rivalry to pro golf powerhouse

Beyond their sibling rivalry and Min Woo Lee taking some jabs at his sister in the golf swing rankings, they have very different personalities. ABC News described Minjee as “the scientist,” disciplined and focused, and Min Woo as “the artist,” due to their approach to golf. Min Woo has always been known to just wing it when it comes to the golf course, very different from how his sister approaches the course. She calculates her every move, swing, and putt, which has given her consistency and pushed her to 4th in the world rankings. This contrast in their personalities has only strengthened their bond and has given them ways to grow as golfers, a privilege many golfers might not have. 

Growing up together in Western Australia, they were introduced to golf at a very young age. This is all thanks to their mother, Clarla Lee, who is a golf instructor. They started at a very young age, causing them to build a natural sibling rivalry, which their coach, Ritchie Smith, took notice of and helped them build their golfing styles around it.

What started as childhood sibling rivalry has matured into a professional, supportive relationship, where they push each other to be the best on the course and occasionally on Instagram.