New Zealand teenager Danny Lee, who has set his sights on becoming the ”next Tiger Woods”, rocketed more than 400 places in the world golf rankings on Monday after his sensational Johnnie Walker Classic win.
While Lee (18) did not pick up the $300 000 winner’s cheque because of his amateur status, he was awarded the full ranking points and now sits at 158 after being 562 a week ago.
The Korean-born Lee snatched a dramatic one-stroke victory to become the European Tour’s youngest-ever winner, at 18 years and 213 days, and the Johnnie Walker’s only amateur champion.
Besieged by the media after his victory, he said he was nervous but excited about all the attention being showered on him.
”Just don’t take the phone calls. It’s easy,” he joked.
”I’m just kidding, I get really nervous when I’m having this media stuff, but I don’t actually hate it. I really like it.”
Golf’s latest star will be the centre of attention at this week’s Nationwide Tour co-sanctioned Moonah Classic near Melbourne.
”Although I won the event in Perth, I will try a new swing at this week’s tournament and hopefully hit the ball better,” he said.
”I played at Moonah Links last year when we had a New Zealand squad camp so I have played a couple of times and it’s a tough course.
”I remember lots of hills so it will be a big test for me and I am looking forward to it.”
Lee’s final round of 67 on Sunday gave him a 17-under total of 271 and beat a world-class field that included world number nine Camilo Villegas, Anthony Kim (11) and Lee Westwood (12).
Lee, the top-ranked amateur, surpassed the world number one Tiger Woods last year as the United States Amateur Championship’s youngest winner.
”[I could be] the next Tiger Woods maybe,” he said.
”I can’t compare to Tiger because he’s one of the greatest players in the world, the number one ranked player and obviously I can’t win three events in a row in the US Amateur, but I’ll try to break his record on the PGA Tour.” — Sapa-AFP