The golf world has been anxiously waiting for Scottie Scheffler to recapture his dominant form. After an exceptional 2024 season with seven PGA Tour victories, expectations remained sky-high. Yet a freak offseason hand injury derailed his momentum. World number one has shown flashes of brilliance but has struggled with consistency since his return. His finishes since Genesis are proof. Now, at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, having tied the course record on Friday, things seemed well. But a surprising challenger stands in his way.

You see, Min Woo Lee isn’t just outplaying Scheffler – he’s making a statement. The Australian has surged to a commanding four-shot lead after three rounds. His spectacular 7-under 63 on Saturday left everyone, including Scheffler, in his wake. Starting with a solid front nine of 31, Lee went on a tear. He particularly shone with birdies on holes 2, 5, 6, 8, and 9. The performance wasn’t just impressive; it was transformative for a player often dismissed by critics as merely a social media personality.

Min Woo Lee: TikTok star proving his worth beyond social media with dominant stats

Lee has faced harsh criticism throughout his career. With over 600,000 TikTok followers and 630,000 on Instagram, many labeled him as just a “social media golfer.” These comments have clearly affected him. “It kind of makes me mad,” Lee admitted in the recent Netflix Full Swing series. “You can get dragged into it, and it can hurt your feelings.”

One online comment featured in the show particularly stung, “Lee is a head case. He has lots of talent, but his focus is lacking. Who cares? He’s a TikTok golfer. He’s average on tour, at best.” His girlfriend Gracie Drennan revealed how these perceptions weigh on him. She noted that Lee constantly compares himself to his sister Minjee, who has 10 professional wins, including two majors. Although Lee has four professional wins, three came on the DP World Tour, he is yet to get his maiden win on the PGA Tour.

His 2025 season showed promise with a T17 at Pebble Beach and a T12 at the Phoenix Open, yet his PGA Tour breakthrough remained elusive until now. May be, it’ll happen in Houston!

The criticism has apparently fueled his determination. His chip-in birdie on the sixth hole Saturday pushed him past Scheffler. Then came a near-ace on the ninth, followed by consistent brilliance on the back nine. His relentless consistency saw him reach 17-under par for the tournament after rounds of 67, 64, and 63. The stats tell the story of his dominance. Lee ranks first in Strokes Gained: Total (13.394) and Strokes Gained: Putting (7.904). His tournament-leading 22 birdies and razor-sharp 1.541 putts per GIR show his red-hot form. Despite ranking only T64 in driving accuracy, his 315.30-yard average distance (8th) has given him advantages throughout the course.

History suggests Lee has a tremendous opportunity. According to stats cited by Justin Ray on X, players with four-shot leads have won 80.6% of the time over the past decade. Lee’s current -17 total puts him far ahead of his nearest competitors. “Everything’s kind of clicking and I just feel really good about it,” Lee said after his round. 

While Woo Lee marches on, Scheffler is left in his wake, scrambling to catch up to his lost momentum before the Masters at Augusta kicks off.

Scheffler’s struggles continue as the Masters defense looms

For Scheffler, Houston represented a chance to regain momentum before his Masters defense. After a scorching second-round 62, his putter went cold on Saturday. He managed just a 1-under 69, making birdie only on the par-5s while missing several makeable chances.

“I feel like yesterday I holed a bunch of putts,” Scheffler lamented. “Today I feel like I couldn’t get the ball to go in the hole.” These struggles mirror his uneven 2025 season. Though his ball-striking remains elite, his putting inconsistency has prevented him from adding to his trophy collection. Houston has been particularly cruel to Scheffler. Last year, he missed a crucial five-foot putt on the final hole to finish second, one stroke behind Stephan Jaeger.

History suggests Lee has a tremendous opportunity. According to stats, Lee’s current -17 total puts him far ahead of his nearest competitors. Meanwhile, Scheffler knows the sting of Houston disappointment. Now sitting five shots back at -12, Scheffler faces an even steeper climb.

With the final round approaching, Lee has a chance to silence his critics permanently. A victory would transform him from “TikTok star” to “PGA Tour winner” overnight. Meanwhile, Scheffler must find his putting touch quickly if he hopes to build momentum for Augusta National. Either way, Sunday’s showdown promises a lot of fun!