Lee storms into frame for Presidents Cup

A CAREER-BEST world ranking has New Zealand golfer Danny Lee within touching distance of his dream to play the Presidents Cup in the country of his birth.

Lee’s equal-sixth finish at the World Golf ChampionshipsBridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, on Monday vaulted him to 57th in the world and boosted his year’s earnings to more than US$3.2 million (NZ$4.9 million).

Importantly for Lee, he rose three spots to 10th in the International team rankings. Should he still be inside the top 10 on September 8, he will be an automatic pick for the International team to face the United States in the Presidents Cup in Incheon City, Korea, in October.

The top-10 from outside the United States and Europe are inked on to the International team sheet, with two extra picks by captain Nick Price making up the 12-strong lineup.

Lee, 25, has played 31 tournaments since the season started with the Frys.com Open last October. The punishing schedule was largely to try to force his way into the Presidents Cup, and he’s on the cusp of achieving his goal.

Just three New Zealanders have played in the Presidents Cup – Frank Nobilo in 1994, 1996 and 1998, Greg Turner in 1998, and Michael Campbell in 2000 and 2005. The International team’s only win from 10 editions came in 1998 at Royal Melbourne, with both Nobilo and Turner in the team.

Lee has finished top-10 in his past four PGA Tour events, starting with his breakthrough win in the Greenbrier Classic last month. Before Greenbrier he was ranked 158 – this week’s result vaulted him another nine spots to his career-high 57.

It’s the best ranking by a New Zealander since Campbell peaked at 15th with his victory in the World Match Play tournament in 2005, the year he won his US Open title.

Lee’s torrid schedule continues on Friday with the final major of the year, the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.