Min Woo Lee held off a back-nine charge from Scottie Scheffler and an impressive finish from Rory McIlroy to claim a breakthrough PGA Tour title at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
Lee took a four-shot lead into the final day and briefly saw his lead increase to five strokes at Memorial Park Golf Course, with three birdies in a five-hole stretch around the turn keeping him in control of the tournament.
The Australian remained three ahead until a bogey par-five 16th cut his lead to one, as Scheffler and Gary Woodland set the clubhouse target at 19 under, only for Lee to par his final two holes to card a three-under 67 and hold onto a one-shot victory.
Scottie Scheffler carded a bogey-free 63 on the final day in Houston
Scheffler remains winless in 2025 but heads into his Masters title defence with a runner-up finish in Houston for the second successive year, while Woodland posted his best PGA Tour result in six years after equalling the course record with a final-round 62.
Finland’s Sami Valimaki ended three strokes back in fourth after matching Woodland’s 62, while McIlroy ended his final start before Augusta National with a final-round 64 and tied-fifth finish.
Rory McIlroy believes his performance improved as the week went on at the Houston Open and says it was a good opportunity to prepare for the coming Masters
How Lee held on for breakthrough victory
Lee took a four-shot lead into the final day and retained his overnight advantage despite failing to convert birdie looks over his first two holes, then picked up a shot at the par-five third to go five clear.
Woodland closed within three after following three birdies in four holes from the second by adding another at the par-five eighth, where Lee scrambled an unlikely par despite hitting his tee shot into a bush and having to take a penalty drop.
Lee ended the week on 20 under
Lee responded by rolling in a five-foot birdie at the par-three ninth to reach the turn three ahead, with successive birdies from the 12th keeping him in charge of the tournament despite low-scoring from the chasing pack.
Scheffler was seemingly out of contention after a front-nine 33 but then birdied five of his next seven holes – including four in a row from the 13th, while Woodland posted a birdie-eagle run from the 15th to also close on Lee.
Lee was three clear with three to play before spraying his drive into the water at the par-five 16th, where he two-putted from 40 feet to leave with just a bogey, then made par at the next to stay one ahead.
His tee shot at the par-four last finished in the rough and his approach landed in the back fringe, where Lee putted to within six inches and celebrated before tapping in the par putt for an emotional victory.
“To be honest, I played unbelievable up until that bogey [16th],” Lee told Golf Channel. “It’s really hard. Obviously Scottie is a wonderful golfer and he keeps you on your toes. This is my first time kind of being in front and trying to hold a lead.
“I’m glad I obviously got it done, but man, I’m very exhausted. It was a lot of mental grind and I’m so proud of how I handled myself.”
Woodland had produced a stunning final-hole birdie to share second with Scheffler, as Valimaki posted an eagle and six birdies to jump in to fourth, while McIlroy ended tied-fifth with Wyndham Clark, Taylor Pendrith and Alejandro Tosti.
Alejandro Tosti tries to kick his club out of frustration and ends up totally missing it without making any contact.
McIlroy heads to Augusta with top-five finish
McIlroy’s slim title hopes appeared effectively over when he made a three-putt bogey at the first and scrambled a par at the next, only for to take advantage of the par-five third and then hole 20-foot putts to post back-to-back gains from the fifth.
The world No 2 fired a huge approach into the par-five eighth and holed a putt from a similar distance for eagle, seeing him turn in 31, before following a 15-foot birdie at the 10th by adding another at the 12th to go six under for the day.
McIlroy carded an incredible eagle on the final day of the Houston Open, helping him charge up the leaderboard
McIlroy holed from eight feet to save par at the 14th and posted a two-putt birdie at the par-five 16th, but ended the week on 15 under after missing from inside five feet to save par at the last.
“The last three days were really good,” McIlroy told Golf Channel. “I actually made a slight adjustment to my driver yesterday, I went to the range and took the loft off a little bit and definitely drove the ball better today. That was a positive, as was seeing some putts go in.
McIlroy’s next start will be The Masters, where he has an opportunity to complete the career Grand Slam
“As I went on during the week I went better and better, as the score suggests. It was a good week, I still feel like I have some stuff to work on but, overall, a solid week which is nice to fine-tune my game heading to Augusta.”
What’s next?
The PGA Tour stays in Texas for the Valero Texas Open, held at TPC San Antonio, where the winner – if not already exempt – will secure the final invite to The Masters. Early coverage begins on Thursday from 1.15pm on Sky Sports Golf ahead of full coverage from 9pm.
The Masters then takes at Augusta National from April 10-13, where Scheffler is defending champion and McIlroy searches for a fifth major title. Watch live on Thursday April 10 from 2pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.
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