Min Woo Lee’s first expertise of Pinehurst No.2 began with a tough encounter with a wild fox squirrel however then went up notch throughout a follow spherical with three-time winner Tiger Woods because the Australian gun appears to be like to emulate his sister’s feat.
Cameron Smith additionally labelled the structure “sick” and stuffed with “eye sweet” as he spent further time chipping round greens he referred to as the “greatest we’ve got performed on, near ever” because the six-man Australian contingent trying to carry the trophy.
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Minjee Lee was the final Australian to win a US Open, which she did in 2022, and Min Woo spent his early rounds exploring the famed structure whereas additionally warding off the native animals.
In a video posted to his 530,000 Instagram followers, the 26-year-old discovered the creature too inquisitive for his liking.
“Hi there, Pinehurst. What is that this animal?” Lee asks within the video.
“Is it a skunk or a raccoon or a squirrel? Ayy ay ay ay ayy. Keep again, brother. Keep again. You need one thing? Have a look at his stance. Oi! Keep again, brother. I simply need to get a facet profile. Simply chilling.”
However after his wild animal encounter, Lee then walked the fairways with Woods and world No.10 Max Homa trying to construct on his season that’s but to yield the outcomes he was chasing in his first full season on the US PGA Tour.
Woods stated the younger Australian was not shy of constructing dialog, particularly along with his son, Charlie, who walked the spherical with them.
“He (Charlie) was very excited right this moment to observe Max and Min Woo and watch them hit golf balls,” Woods stated.
“They’ve talked to him fairly a bit, particularly Min Woo and him. I believe they’re nearer in age than I’m to anyone else. It’s nice. It’s nice for us to have the ability to share these moments collectively.”
Lee, who’s prone to companion Jason Day on the Paris Olympics, has just one top-20 end to this point in 2024 when he completed runner-up on the Cognizant Basic.
However he spent numerous time at Pinehurst including a particular weapon to his arsenal, one he hopes might make a giant distinction this week.
“There’s numerous chipping, working up, bump-and-run photographs that I usually don’t actually practise. I went on the market right this moment to a course the place I can do this and be ready for it,” Lee instructed Fox Sports activities.
“Many of the preparation is that bump and run shot; that’s essential.
“There’s not many programs the place there’s too many turtlebacks and I’ve heard there’s so much. I won’t hit it as a lot as I believe however simply to have it within the bag is a one percenter.”
It was the identical for Smith who was in awe of the course, which he arrived at after a horror remaining spherical 80 on the final LIV occasion in Houston, and conscious of the problem in entrance of him.
“To begin with, it’s numerous eye-candy occurring, it appears to be like so sick. The greens are most likely the perfect we’ve got performed on, near ever. The course is superior, every little thing I hoped for,” he instructed the Golf Channel.
“It’s simply tougher, it’s the US Open. As completely different as it’s to among the US Open programs we play, you continue to need to hit the golf green, numerous centres of greens, and do numerous two-putting.”
Geoff Ogilvy was the final Australian male to win the US Open in 2006.
Ogilvy instructed Fox Sports activities’ preview present that Pinehurst was “only a actually robust take a look at. It’s agency”.
“It’s truly not like a traditional US Open venue in that it doesn’t depend on being slender (with) lengthy tough. It’s fairly large,” he stated.
“However you may see from the images it’s fairly dangerous if you happen to do miss the lower floor, you’re in some sandy, lengthy, gnarly type of grass. Plenty of sand in every single place.
“It’s prefer it’s seemingly constructed for the US Open. You possibly can play 365 (days a 12 months) at Pinehurst No.2 and have a US Open. It’s that type of course. It’s at all times tough.”
AUSSIE TEE TIMES (AEST)
Thursday
9.18pm: Lucas Glover, Sam Burns, Cameron Smith
10.02pm:Min Woo Lee, Sahith Theegala, Nicolai Højgaard
10.35pm: Austin Eckroat Adrian Meronk Cam Davis
Friday
2.30am: Jason Scrivener Brandon Robinson Thompson Brendan Valdes (a)
3.03am: Jason Day Harris English Tom Kim
3.58am: Chris Kirk Billy Horschel Adam Scott