Who is the LIV Golf Wild Card That Went Toe-to-Toe with Bryson DeChambeau in Singapore?
On a tour with so many big names and major winners, how did a 35-year-old who has never made a cut in a major find himself in a playoff against two-time U.S. Open winner Bryson DeChambeau? Well, thanks to the continued rift between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, combined with the opportunities this rift has presented, Richard T. Lee has earned full status on arguably the biggest tour of his playing career. While many golf fans may know him for his gut-wrenching miss from no more than three feet on the first playoff hole of this year’s LIV Golf Singapore event at Sentosa Golf Club, Lee is so much more than just a LIV Golf runner-up. A peek behind the curtain of the Canadian-born amateur standout’s path to high-level golf displays his intricate background.
Lee was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, but grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia. Despite being born in Canada, his South Korean heritage is displayed throughout his full name: Richard Taehoon Lee. Lee’s father, Jeff, and one of the biggest names in South Korean golf history, K.J. Choi, had a heavy influence on a young Lee’s affinity for golf. His relationship with his father and Choi morphed Lee into a young prodigy in the amateur golfing world. At just 13 years old, Lee won the 2004 Nike Golf Junior tournament by a whopping 15 shots. The following year, both Lee and his family moved to Chandler, Arizona, to put him in the best possible position to maximize his prowess on the golf course.
After the move from Vancouver to Chandler, Lee did not skip a beat. His Hamilton High School golf team won the Division 1 5A State Golf Championship in back-to-back years in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Lee played a huge role in Hamilton’s wins, logging a second-place finish in 2005 and a first-place individual victory in 2006. Also in 2006, Lee finished second at the U.S. Junior Amateur, placing him in next year’s sectional qualifying tournament for the U.S. Open; he would later qualify for the 2007 U.S. Open at just 16 years old, making him the second-youngest competitor in the tournament’s history.
While Lee’s amateur golf stock could not have been higher in June 2007, the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club was the beginning of a rude awakening for Lee. After a subpar opening round and an untimely wrist injury in the second round, Lee was forced to withdraw from the biggest tournament of his career. While he did realize his dream, turning professional after the U.S. Open’s conclusion, Lee’s first couple of seasons as a pro were the polar opposite of his amateur playing days. From 2007-09, Lee missed two cuts on the PGA Tour and eight on the then-Nationwide Tour. His only made cut on said tours resulted in a T-37 finish at the 2008 Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open. In 2010, Lee began to pick up steam on the PGA Tour Canada circuit, making five cuts, including a runner-up finish at the Desert Dunes Classic, earning him status on the Nationwide Tour for the following year’s season. However, his momentum was stifled, having lost his Nationwide Tour card after 2011.
Despite a less-than-impressive start to his professional career, Lee was not ready to give up on his dream quite yet. Numerous wins and top finishes across multiple tours in Asia propelled Lee into some high-level events on the PGA Tour and European Tour. In fact, since the 2022 season, Lee has been a household name on the Asian Tour. Furthermore, leading up to this year’s LIV Golf Promotions event, Lee made eight-straight cuts last season on the Asian Tour, putting him in pole position for a chance to clinch a Wild Card spot. He credits his time on the Asian Tour as one of the reasons his game is where it is today. “The International Series is a great way to get up on LIV Golf. I had a good last three years. On the Asian Tour, there are a lot of strong players out there.”
Come January, Lee was ready to put on a show at Black Diamond Ranch for this season’s rendition of the LIV Golf Promotions tournament. After the event’s four-round duration, the battle-tested Canadian stood atop the field, easily earning his way onto the LIV Golf League’s Wild Card list; his five-shot victory guaranteed him a top-three finish, which was required for a Wild Card exemption. Since qualifying for this season’s LIV schedule, Lee has logged two top-20 finishes and one exhilarating runner-up finish at this past weekend’s LIV Golf Singapore tournament. He began the final round one shot off the lead, but drifted further from the lead heading into the back nine. However, the seasoned veteran stayed the course, making birdies on four of his final six holes, placing him in a playoff with Crushers GC captain Bryson DeChambeau as the two were tied at 14-under-par after 72 holes. The odds were in Lee’s favor after DeChambeau rinsed his tee shot on the first playoff hole, but a three-putt bogey closed the door on the Wild Card’s hopes of logging his first LIV Golf victory.
While a viral untimely performance cost Lee one of the biggest wins of his lengthy professional career, his mentality appears to be steering him on the right track. “I think the adrenaline was pumping a little bit,” Lee said regarding the short par putt he missed on the 73rd hole at Sentosa Golf Club. “Then again, I felt like I had it this week. I played really well. Hopefully, next week I can try again.” His runner-up finish in Singapore has the Canadian up to 148th in the Official World Golf Rankings, a career-best for the 35-year-old. As for his next opportunity to snag a win, Lee and the LIV Golf League travel to The Club at Steyn City for the inaugural LIV Golf South Africa tournament beginning this Thursday.
