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Aust Open teens among longest hitters

They may be young and relatively unknown but China's Lin Yuxin and Australia's Min Woo Lee drive golf balls as long as some of the game's biggest names.

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Min Woo Lee outhit fellow Australian Jason Day at a recent long driving contest . (AAP)

Two of the longest hitters in this week's Australian Open golf championship are teenage amateurs.

Seventeen-year-old Chinese star Lin Yuxin and Australia's Min Woo Lee, 19, can both drive the ball the same sort of distances as some of tour golf's long bombers.

And such is the overall progress of their golf games that it wouldn't greatly surprise to see either in the top 10 at The Australian on Sunday.

Lin is already set to play the US Masters and British Open next year after winning last month's Asia-Pacific Amateur in New Zealand.

He helped set up a birdie, eagle finish to his eye-opening - 69 67 69 65, 14-under - performance by driving the 361-yard 17th hole at Royal Wellington on the last day.

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Lee, the 2016 US Junior champion and brother of LPGA Tour star Minjee Lee, finished tied third there and has even more recent good form after a tie for sixth against the pros at last week's NSW Open.

He outhit Jason Day in a friendly long drive contest at a clinic for some of the world's best young amateurs in the US this year, after peers urged him to take part.

"He hit his about 285 yards and then I hit it about 300, so I ended up beating him and there was a big roar at the end. It was fun," recalled Lee.

"I haven't really spoken to him since. I think he's a bit scared of me, no I'm joking."

Lee says learning from his sister's rise to pro golf star has helped him a lot. The only down side is always being asked about her in interviews.

Beijing-based Lin believes Chinese golf is not far off producing its first major winner but his own golf idol is Rory McIlroy - "because he has a great swing and hits it far".

A bit bigger physically and an even longer hitter than Lee, he doesn't lift weights and insists there's no secret to his long driving - "I just hit the ball.'

Neither Lee or Lin will admit to big expectations at the Australian Open, saying they are just keen for the learning experience in their second appearances.

"I know it's a long shot to win at my level, so just go out there play some good golf and see what happens," said Lee.


3 min read

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Source: AAP



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