2015.07.05 11:55
Danny Lee has become the first New Zealander to win a US PGA Tour title in 10 years after claiming victory on the second playoff hole at the Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia. Lee beat out Americans Kevin Kisner and Robert Streb as well and stubborn Canadian David Hearn, who took him to a second playoff hole."All I can say is wow," Lee said after banging in a 3-footer to win."It's amazing just amazing. I've been so close so many times this year and to win one, wow."This is what winning feels like." The result means Lee qualifies for the Open Championship, the PGA Championship, next year's Masters, and he moves to 15th on the season-long Fed-Ex cup standings.The last New Zealander to win a PGA Tour event was Michael Campbell at the US Open in 2005. Before him was Craig Perks in 2002 at the Players Championship. Lee eliminated Kisner and Streb in the first playoff hole with a fantastic birdie and then played a solid second playoff hole to par the par-five 17th as Hearn capitulated for bogey.A cool, calm tee shot put the 158th-ranked Lee, who will move into the top 100 in the world with the win, to 20 feet on the first playoff hole, the par-three 18th.It was within two-feet of where he had put it in regulation, a putt he had left short.He made no mistake with his second opportunity, hitting it sweetly into the heart of the hole. American Kevin Kisner took four shots to find the green after landing in some thick rough at the back of the green and Streb also missed the green from his tee-shot and couldn't hole the chip.Lee looked to have it in the bag but Hearn nailed a 20-footer to take it to the 17th again.Both Lee and Hearn then drove their balls well left of the fairway as the rain came down in West Virginia on Sunday (NZT Monday).Lee's took a big kick off the cart path to give himself an opening from the rough while Hearn found his way blocked by a tree. Lee laid up and then played a six-iron to 40 feet, which he was able to two-putt.It was a hole he had earlier birdied to tie the lead.The Kiwi No 1 was one shot off the pace after the first, second and third rounds and remained one shot back until the 17th hole when he drained a birdie to get to 13-under.He had a birdie putt to move to 14-under on the par-3 18th but had to settle for par and a three-under 67.Earlier in the day, Lee started his final round with five straight pars before going birdie, bogey, birdie of holes six, seven and eight to be out in 33.Streb was the fan favourite to win after carding a five-under-par 65. He did it despite breaking his putter earlier in the final round, going on a birdie blitz on the back nine to tie the lead putting with his sand wedge. Tiger Woods climbed 15 places with a three-under-par final round to finish tied for 32nd.Lee carded a topsy-turvy two-under 68 in the third round on Saturday (NZT Sunday), moving to 10-under par for the tournament and a share of fifth place.He was one shot behind four players - Americans Jason Bohn, Sean O'Hair and Bryce Molder, and South Korea's SJ Park.Lee is enjoying a consistent season with three top-10s and eight top-25s from 26 starts |
2015.07.05 12:10
2015.07.05 12:18
2015.07.05 13:16
First of all,
Congratulations on Your Victory, Danny.
And I found your moving story on YouTube
- "Danny Lee's Journey to the PGA Tour" which I shall share with our alumni members.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C252xWHPYt4
And this is the chance for us to taste a little bit of New Zealand on screen
including Korean New Zealanders.
1. Travel Guide to New Zealand;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_epI60hODk
2. Korean New Zealanders;
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/koreans
2015.07.06 23:44
2015.07.07 02:13
Wow! Korean New Zealander,Danny Lee won Greenbrier Classic of PGA
after making par putt at 2nd playoff hole.
We have celebrated so many Korean players winning in LPGA,but this
time was Korean man winning PGA tournament.
Danny Lee(이진명) was born in Inchon, Korea on July 24,1990 and
won Us Amateur at age of 18 years 1month(record breaking at that time)
in 2008. He is male version of 'Lydia Ko' in New Zealand.
Congratulation to Danny Lee! KJ