Of the five Australians who teed it up at the TPC Sawgrass, four left with nothing much to show. Min Woo Lee was the exception, finishing at -2 and T32. Not the week he wanted, but enough to walk away with Lydia Ko’s support and a fan base already locked in on Houston.

“The Players, always a tough challenge, just a few too many times in the Sawgrass,” he wrote, adding with characteristic humor, “Grateful for the support, see you in Houston.”

The post quickly drew support from fellow golfer Lydia Ko, who liked it. And it also attracted a wave of fan reactions supporting him for his next tour and his performance at the PLAYERS.

The numbers behind Lee’s week tell the full story. He opened with an even-par 72 in Round 1, steadied with back-to-back 70s in Rounds 2 and 3, then stumbled to a closing 74 on Sunday, finishing at 286 total. The final round included a double bogey at the par-4 18th, where he made a 5 against par. It was a finish that summed up a week where consistency came in flashes but never quite held through Sunday’s pressure, a pattern that has followed Lee at Sawgrass before.

The tough challenge Lee referenced was not an excuse. Scottie Scheffler finished T22, Rickie Fowler T28, while Michael Thorbjornsen, who sat second after 54 holes, collapsed on Sunday. TPC Sawgrass does not spare anyone.

At the 2025 PLAYERS, he opened brilliantly with a 67 and shared the second-round lead after a 66, only to collapse with a 78-73 weekend finish.

That Houston reference in his caption was not casual. Lee is set to return to Memorial Park Golf Course from March 26-29 for the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open, where he will defend his maiden PGA Tour title. Last year at that event, he delivered a record-setting performance to claim his first TOUR win.

He might not have won the PLAYERS, but he was all excited throughout the $25 event and his Instagram reflected that.

Min Woo Lee posted a reel where he rolled forward onto the Sawgrass greens, captioning it “It’s players week, lets roll, I mean cook.” Notably, it was liked by the PGA Tour and racked up 90,200 likes.

And that wasn’t it. His powerful 4-iron ball speed had startled a dog on the course mid-round, a clip the PGA Tour posted that gathered over 31,500 likes, with Lee himself joking his “very strong 4 iron ball speed startled a cute pup.”

Meanwhile, his fellow countryman Jason Day had a far rougher exit, shooting an 8-over 80 in the final round to finish at +4, including two double bogeys at 13 and 17 after finding the water at the iconic island-green par-3. Lee’s -2 finish made him the best of the Australians in the field.

Min Woo Lee’s season coming into Sawgrass had genuinely been one of his best stretches on Tour. He finished T2 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, T12 at The Genesis Invitational, and T6 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, earning $1.76 million, $415,000, and $702,000 respectively in those events alone. The TPC Sawgrass, however, continues to ask questions Lee is still trying to answer fully.

Lee’s Instagram post resonated well beyond the scorecard. Despite another difficult Sawgrass finish, his fanbase made clear that their belief in him heading into Houston has not wavered one bit.

Fans rally behind Min Woo Lee as he eyes Houston redemption

Golfers are known for their dressing sense, and one fan took notice of how stylish the Aussie was looking.

“Blue watch combo tough woo,” wrote a fan. In the photo Lee shared, he was dressed in a royal blue polo, black trousers, a white Callaway glove, and a standout blue-dialed watch on his right wrist, a detail sharp-eyed fans clearly noticed.

“Legggooo Iron Chef Woozy!!” said another fan. The reference landed with context. His powerful 4-iron ball speed had already made headlines at Sawgrass after a shot startled a dog on the course, a clip the PGA Tour posted that gathered over 31,500 likes.

“So fun to watch!” commented another supporter. Lee is known for his “let him cook” personality among his fans on social media. Even in a T32 week, his personality kept fans engaged throughout.

“I’ll stop putting bets on you my king I’m the curse I will stop Houston is yours,” wrote one fan.

At +4700 odds, Lee was a long shot at the PLAYERS and did not cash for those who backed him. Can he redeem that in Houston?

“Let him cook in Houston once again,” was another reaction.

Min Woo Lee’s record-setting title win at the 2025 Houston Open showed he can put four rounds together when conditions suit him. Sawgrass has been his recurring puzzle; Memorial Park has been his stage.