Australia’s Min Woo Lee recorded a two-shot wire-to-wire victory in the $1 million Macao Open today, for his first title in two years.

The tournament’s marquee player, ranked No. 46 in the world, hit crushing drives and holed putt after putt to card an eight-under-par 63 for an astonishing four-round aggregate of 30-under — a new tournament record and two short of the Asian Tour record, although preferred lies were played on the first two days.

Thailand’s Poom Saksansin also fired a 63, like Lee bogey-free, and finished second after a fascinating final day duel between the big-hitting Australian and the tenacious Thai golfer, hoping to replicate one of his giant-killing acts of the past.

Lee started the day with a two-shot lead over Poom and the margin was the same at the turn after both players pulled away from the field playing brilliant golf with four birdies apiece.

The turning point proved to be the par-five 13th, where Lee opened up a four-stroke cushion after he made an eagle, for the second day in row, against Poom’s par.

A wild drive a long way left on the short par-four 15th by Lee gave Poom a glimmer of hope, but his ball stayed away from trouble. He had a clear shot to the green and was able to avert disaster and make a comfortable par.

Predictably Poom refused to submit and made birdies on the next two holes to close the gap to two before they both made four on the par-five 18th.

“I love it,” said 25-year-old Lee, who opened with rounds of 62, 64 and 65. “As soon as the week started I had a couple of days rest because of the typhoon, and the course was looking amazing from the beginning. Obviously, it was pretty bad for a couple of days there, so it was props to the green keepers for keeping the course in such good condition.

“And yeah, I played wonderful, really flawless golf for a lot of the holes, there was only a few holes that I could really look back on. But yeah, I’m really proud of the way I handled myself.”

Lee’s score smashed the event’s previous lowest winning total of 20-under, set by Australian Scott Hend in 2015 and was just two short of the Asian Tour record, which Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat set at the Sail Open in 2009, at the Classic Golf and Country Club in India, when he finished 32-under-par.

Said Lee, who only had two bogeys all week and earned a cheque for $180,000: “Poom played unbelievable today. He never left, he just stayed around. I tried my best and ended up on top, but he was giving it to me for the whole time.”

It is his first victory since claiming the Scottish Open in July of 2021 and while he was winning in Macau, his sister and two-time Major winner Minjee Lee tied for 12th in the Buick LPGA Shanghai.

Main image: Asian Tour