Danny Lee

Born in Incheon, South Korea, Lee moved with his family to New Zealand in 2001. Became a New Zealand citizen in 2008. His mother was a golf pro in Korea. Lee won the 2008 U.S. Amateur Championship and at 18 years, 1-month-old, became the youngest champion, supplanting Tiger Woods by holding off Drew Kittleson, 5 & 4. (In 2009, his age record was surpassed by Byeong Hun 'Ben' An).He capped his 11th consecutive day of competitive golf by sinking a 30-foot birdie putt at the 14th hole, dropping his putter and thrusting his fists into the air in celebration. Lee, who was 6 months and 29 days younger than Woods was when he won the first of his three Amateurs in 1994, joined 2005 U.S. Open winner Michael Campbell as New Zealanders to claim championships at the Donald Ross-designed Pinehurst No. 2. He also became the fourth foreign-born Amateur champion in six years. For Lee, it was an exhausting finish to a whirlwind few weeks. He won both medalist and match-play titles at the Western Amateur and T-20th in his PGA Tour debut at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro the day before he started playing at the Amateur.
His biggest moment came in July 2015, when he defeated David Hearn by parring the second extra hole to win the Greenbrier Classic, his first win on the PGA Tour.
2009 Notes: Won the European Tour's Johnnie Walker Classic in Australia in March at age 18 years, 213 days, becoming that tour's youngest winner and only the second amateur champion. It is a record that was beaten by Matteo Manassero in 2010. Lee shot a final-round 67, including birdies on the final two holes, to win by one shot. Missed cuts in final appearance as an amateur (Masters) and first start as professional (Zurich Classic of New Orleans). Tried to earn enough money in his sponsor exemptions to earn temporary membership onto the PGA Tour. Had a T-7th at the AT&T National, but wasn't able to accomplish the feat in his final events. Finished out the year on the European Tour.
2010 Notes: Playing mostly in Europe, in 22 starts his best finish was T-21st at the BMW International Open. At the end of the year, finished T-64th in PGA Tour Q-School, so earned access to the Buy.Com Tour for 2011.
2011 Notes: Playing in 15 events on the European Tour, his best finish was T-2nd at the Volvo China Open, along with a T-5th at the Barclays Singapore Open. Also played on the Korn Ferry Tour.
2011 Korn Ferry Tour Summary: Tournaments Entered - 18; Rounds Played - 59; In Money - 13; Top-10 Finishes - 9; Scoring Average - 68.98 (rank 1st); Money - $326,100 (rank 6th); Best Finish - 1st, WNB Golf Classic.
2012 Notes: The PGA Tour rookie claimed a pair of top-25 finishes in 22 starts on Tour. Best finish was a T-19th at the HP Byron Nelson Championship. Despite bogeys on his first two holes in the final round, managed a 3-under-par 67 for his career-best finish on Tour. Made the cut in four of five starts on the Korn Ferry Tour. Returned to PGA Tour Q-School but wasn't able to retain his PGA Tour card and played on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2013.
2013 Korn Ferry Tour Tour Summary: Tournaments Entered - 23; Rounds Played - 77; In Money - 16; Top-10 Finishes - 5; Scoring Average - 69.91 (rank 16th); Money - $169,300 (rank 15th); Best Finish - 2nd, Rex Hospital Open.
2014 Notes: Made 13 of 28 Tour cuts, highlighted by a runner-up finish. Advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs for the first time in his career when he finished T-38th at the Barclays and T-35th at the Deutsche Bank Championship. Finished 2nd at the Puerto Rico Open, with rounds of 67-68-66-68, just two shots behind winner Chesson Hadley.
2015 Notes: Played to a T-7th result at the Valspar, and a T-3rd at the OHL Classic Classic. Notched his first win in 98 starts on Tour at The Greenbrier at age 24 years, 11 months, 11 days. He was T-5th and one shot off the lead entering the final round. Lee is a New Zealand resident but was born in South Korea. The last player from New Zealand to win on the PGA Tour was Michael Campbell at the 2005 U.S. Open. Players of Korean descent in their 20s have won on the PGA Tour each of the last five seasons. Lee is the ninth player of Korean descent to win, joining K.J. Choi, Y.E. Yang, Kevin Na, Sangmoon Bae, Seung-Yul Noh, James Hahn, Anthony Kim, and John Huh. Also had a T-3rd at the John Deere Classic, a T-4th at the Quicken Loans, and a T-6th at the WGC-Bridgestone. Played all four FedExCup Playoffs, and finished T-2nd at the Tour Championship. Was 9th in the final FedExCup rankings and 13th on the money list. Played in his first Presidents Cup and went 1-2-0 in his three matches.
2016 Notes: Played in 28 PGA Tour events making the cut in 21 of them with 2, top-10s Finished 4th at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T-9th at the Wells Fargo Championship. Was 92nd in the FedExCup standings and 75th on the money list. On the European Tour played in 6 events and his best finish was T-3rd at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
2017 Notes: Played in 32 PGA Tour events with 15 cuts made and four top-ten finishes. Had a very slow start didn't get his first top-ten until a T-5th at the AT&T Byron Nelson. The next week at the Dean & Deluca he was 6th. At the Travelers Championship was T-3rd, 2 shots back of the Spieth/Berger playoff. Got another top-ten with a T-9th at the Greenbrier Classic. Ended his season on a downer, starting at the PGA Championship he didn't make a check-in his last five starts finishing 70th in the FedExCup standings.
2018 Notes: Played in 30 PGA Tour events making 15 cuts with three top-ten finishes. Was T-7th in his first event of the season at the CIMB Classic. Was T-7th at the Players Championship after entering the final round in second place and shooting a final round 72. Was T-6th at the RBC Canadian Open the finish helped him get into the FedExCup Playoffs. Was 97th in the final FedExCup race.
2019 Notes: Played in 27 PGA Tour events making 15 cuts with three top-ten finishes. Was 73rd in the FedExCup standings. Started the season T-10th at the Safeway Open. Had a final round 65 to finish 2nd at the Mayakoba Golf Classic, just a shot back of winner Matt Kuchar. T-7th at the Valero Texas Open. In the FedExCup Playoffs were 81st in the Northern Trust.
2020 Notes: Played in 22 PGA Tour events making 13 cuts with three top-ten finishes. Was 45th in the final FedExCup standings. Was 2nd at the CJ Cup@Nine Bridges, two shots back of winner Justin Thomas. Was T-10th at the Zozo Championship and T-5th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. His finish in the Palmer got him an invite to play in the Open Championship at Royal St. George's In the FedExCup playoffs was T-18th at the Northern Trust and T-33rd at the BMW Championship.
2021 Notes: Has struggled with his game, best finish of the season T-21st at the CJ Cup@Shadow Creek and Valspar Championship.