Listen Now: Morning News

Lee found a girl … and rediscovered his game also

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Danny Lee’s breakthrough at the 2015 Greenbrier Classic produced perhaps the loneliest winner’s speech ever, not to mention the #FindDannyAGirl hashtag.

But now, returning two years later to defend his title, Lee is single no more.

He has a fiancée, Yoomi, who emerged as a valued member of his team this season. Lee claims the relationship helped him bounce back after a slow finish in 2016.

“She’s been very supportive and she’s been helping me a lot of the course,” Lee said Tuesday. “Ever since she’s been traveling with me, I’ve been playing some great golf.”

She was born and raised in South Korea, whereas Lee moved from Seoul to New Zealand at 8 years old. They are scheduled to marry later this year.

Though three top-10 finishes have helped him earn $1.4 million this season, the Greenbrier title remains Lee’s only PGA Tour win.

He won a four-way playoff that fateful Sunday, and happily dawned an oversized green jacket before getting personal with reporters.

“It’s phenomenal. It’s my fourth time playing here, and I liked it every single year,” he said. “Only one wish I had was if I had a girlfriend, it wouldn’t be as lonely in the room.”

That moment was too rich for PGA veteran Pat Perez to ignore. The longtime friend of Lee launched the #FindDannyAGirl campaign on Twitter and blogged eloquently on the topic.

“Anything is better than seeing a fellow PGA Tour winner investing 13 of his daily waking hours on his laptop playing ‘Batman: Arkham Knight’ before sacking out in a single and ordering room-service-for-one.”

Ranked 48th in the FedEx Cup standings and 81st in the world, Lee plays a grueling schedule but doesn’t consider taking time off.

“I’m still in my 20s, so I’ll think about that later,” he said. “I mean, even if I take a week off now, I’d go out to the golf course and practice every day anyway. So I might as well come out here and practice and play, right? Play for FedEx Cup ranking points.”