Masters star given 'kick up the butt' and shares private chat with PGA Tour rival

Min Woo Lee has credited his recent Players Championship collapse with giving him the 'kick up the butt' he desperately needed. The 26-year-old is Australia's biggest hope ahead of , where he will be hoping to win the first major of his career. He will be full of confidence, having secured his maiden title at the Houston Open last week.

It came just days after Lee suffered a dramatic collapse at the Players Championship, where he led at the halfway point before a nightmare third round saw him fall out of contention. He ended up finishing T20, but he believes the setback gave him the platform to silence his doubters at the Houston Open.

"I felt like I kind of got to that stage where there was a lot of talking but not as good golf as I can do," Lee told . "I think I needed, not a reality check, but a kick in the butt just to get a win or get a really good finish, so I'm glad that happened."

In an effort to overcome his Players Championship misery, Lee sought out fellow PGA Tour golfer Jason Day for a private chat. He described the 37-year-old, who also hails from Australia, as being like a big brother to him.

"I told him how I felt during the Players [Championship]," explained Lee. "I wasn't myself and I was trying to be someone else. He just said to trust the process and keep hitting good shots and, if not, it's okay.

"Something clicked in my head then. A lot of winners are very locked in and focused, laser focused. That's something that I learned over the last week."

Lee, who has gained a large following due in part to his social media presence, will be hoping to maintain his strong form at the Masters. He has only missed the cut once in his last three appearances at Augusta, finishing 14th in 2022 and 22nd last year.

"All the advice you get from other veterans that go there is just don't do too much," he added. You want to just keep playing and you want to keep practicing, so just do your own routine, hang out and make sure you don't overdo it early.

"I feel like I inspire kids and inspire people to love and play golf, so it's quite cool to be in the top spot in Australian golf and, hopefully, I can keep going."