There’s been a lot happening with LIV Golf lately. From structural changes aimed at increasing the chances of gaining Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status to expanding roster spots for golfers in promotional events, the league is making strategic moves to strengthen its presence in the golf world. Amidst all this activity, rumors have been swirling, and Min Woo Lee has found himself at the center of one such rumor.

Speculation about Min Woo Lee joining LIV Golf has been circulating for weeks. However, the rising Australian star appears to be more focused on fairways and flags than on franchise leagues and financial gains. “There’s been a lot of rumours. I’m not going and am just going to play on the PGA Tour,” Min Woo Lee told the Australian Associated Press (AAP). Darren Walton from the AAP shared this news in an X post.

This is not the first time Lee has been rumored to join LIV. Similar rumors circulated back in January 2024 as well. However, Lee had a clear stance at the time that he wouldn’t join Greg Norman & Co. in the Saudi-backed league. “My goal was to play in America,” Lee stated on record at the time. “I just tried to do my best and try to get my card. And now I really didn’t want to go anywhere else.” His position remains unchanged. “So I’m happy with where I’m at and, yeah, I’m looking forward to next year,” Min Woo Lee said.

Rather than pursuing LIV Golf, Lee’s primary goal for 2026 is to join his sister, Minjee Lee, in becoming a major champion. Currently ranked third on the women’s world rankings, Minjee has 11 wins on the LPGA Tour, including 3 majors, with the latest being the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. For 2026, Min Woo Lee aims to qualify for the Masters.

His decision to stay away from LIV Golf is largely due to his desire to compete in majors like the Masters. He referenced fellow major champion Cameron Smith as an example. Smith won The Open Championship in 2022 but has struggled in majors since joining LIV, missing the cut in all four majors in 2025. “Cam was one of the best players in the world before he went to LIV, and I hope he can find a stride,” Lee said.

“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 said. To achieve this, the Australian golfer must secure a top-50 finish on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) by December 31, 2025. Currently ranked 46th, Lee’s upcoming Australian summer events will be crucial for his qualification chances.

He plans to compete in two tournaments in Australia as part of the DP World Tour’s Opening Swing: the BMW Australian PGA Championship and the Crown Australian Open, both scheduled before year-end. Performing well in these events could solidify his OWGR position and secure his spot at Augusta National next year.

Min Woo Lee aspires to follow in the footsteps of his sister, Minjee Lee, in becoming a major champion. However, sibling rivalry remains, as evidenced by Lee ranking Minjee below Rory McIlroy when evaluating swings of star golfers. Yet, this ranking was not merely about rivalry; there were valid reasons behind his choices.

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Min Woo Lee ranked Rory McIlroy above Minjee Lee in terms of swings

Min Woo Lee was asked to rank the golf swings of well-known players, placing Rory McIlroy above his sister, Minjee Lee. He praised Minjee’s golf precision highly, calling her a “robot” on the course due to her remarkable consistency. As he said, “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.”

He ranked Minjee’s swing 3rd overall, describing it as “great” and highlighting her technical consistency. However, Lee acknowledged Rory McIlroy’s widely admired swing for its power and fluid mechanics, noting, “McIlroy has so much rotational power and a very smooth transition through the ball, which allows him to control the ball so well.” Interestingly, Lee also placed Adam Scott above both Minjee Lee and McIlroy.

Looking ahead, Min Woo Lee remains focused on strengthening his PGA Tour career and securing his spot at Augusta. Motivated by family success and confidence in his game, he is choosing ambition over distraction. Lee credits this ambition to lessons learned from his sister Minjee, and aims to follow her path to becoming a major champion.