[Photo: Australian PGA]

Min Woo Lee revealed a “freak injury” to his knee hampered preparation for his title defence at the Australian PGA Championship but believes he’ll recover in time for a shot at the Open next week in Melbourne.

Lee signed off on his defence at the $2 million DP World Tour co-sanctioned event with a third and final round 66. The Australian PGA was shortened to 54 holes due to torrential rain.

Western Australian Lee finished the tournament at seven-under-par. After a poor putting performance during an opening 68 on Thursday and a sloppy, one-over par 72 on Saturday’s delayed second round, Lee was pleased to close with six birdies and a lone bogey.

“Next week’s important, so I needed to find something (today),” Lee said after his round. “A happier start and finish to the round. It’s good stuff going into next week. Not much is wrong with the game. I just need to keep my head up high and keep playing good golf.”

The 26-year-old played last week’s DP World Tour finale in Dubai after a fantastic season in the US on the PGA Tour where he recorded two runner-up results and top-25s at the Masters and US Open.

But once he touched down in Australia he hurt his knee which he says caused pain while trying to read putts.

“I actually hurt my (left) knee at the beginning of the week so I couldn’t bend down,” Lee said. “I still don’t have the confidence to bend down. So that’s I think a reason why I was a little flat the first few days, which sucks. It was just a freak accident. I literally just turned in bed and something popped.”

Next week’s Australian Open will be played at co-hosts Kingston Heath and Victoria Golf Club on the Melbourne Sandbelt, a mixed tournament that will see Lee’s sister, two-time major winner Minjee Lee, compete concurrently in the women’s draw.

Lee feels his niggling injury will be fine by the time the national open tees off.

“My physio (Martin McInnes) is out here from WA and he’s been helping me out throughout the week; it’s getting a lot better every day,” Lee said. “When something happens, you just don’t have the full trust in it yet. And I’m slowly getting to that but it’s still a little… not a hundred percent. It’s weird (because) I can fully swing a club at whatever miles per hour but I can’t bend down, which is really astonishing. So it’s a good injury, I guess.”

Lee is licking his lips at the creativity and short game required at Kingston Heath and Victoria GC.

“Kingston Heath and Victoria (in 2022) I thought those two were up there with the best courses that I’ve played around the world,” Lee said of the previous Australian Open on the Sandbelt. “I’m really excited to go back there and hopefully be on top.”