Feb 08, 2020: Min Woo Lee will take a three stroke lead into the final round of the ISPS Handa Vic Open as he bids for his first European Tour title.
The Australian, making just his 19th start on the European Tour, carded a four under par round of 68 in testing conditions at 13th Beach Golf Links to set the clubhouse target at 15 under par, three shots clear of compatriots Marcus Fraser and Travis Smyth.
Lee, who started the day three shots off the pace, led by just one stroke when he stepped on to the 18th tee but took advantage of the high winds on the Bellarine Peninsula as he took a two iron from the tee 375 yards, setting up a 147-yard approach, which he hit pin-high. He converted the eagle putt to extend his advantage top of the leaderboard.
In a share of fourth on ten under par are Australians Ashley Hall, Anthony Quayle, who carded a five under par 67 for the low round of the day, and Matthew Millar, and Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist, who graduated from Qualifying School in November.
21-year-old Lee is bidding to emulate his sister Minjee’s achievements on this golf course. In 2014, as an amateur, Minjee won her first professional title at the women’s ISPS Handa Vic Open, which has been played concurrently with the men’s event at 13th Beach Golf Links since 2013.
In the women’s event, Minjee is five strokes behind leader Ayean Cho of South Korea, who carded a three under par round of 70 to reach 12 under par.
A second cut took place on Saturday evening, with the top 35 players and ties from the men’s and women’s events set to take part in the final round. Geoff Ogilvy, winner of the 2006 U.S. Open, and Sam Horsfield will play their final rounds in the company of women’s competitor Peiyun Chen. Men and women are competing for equal prize funds of AUD$1.6million.
European Tour Release
