Min Woo Lee returns to the Houston Open this week as the defending champion, with one eye already on The Masters.
The 27-year-old is now an established PGA Tour player, but remains outside the very top tier of the game.
Currently ranked 31st in the world, Lee knows there is still a gap between himself and the elite.
And he has now revealed what he wants to learn from world number one Scottie Scheffler and world number two Rory McIlroy.
Min Woo Lee knows what he must improve to reach Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy level
Lee admitted he has often looked at Scheffler and McIlroy when searching for ways to improve his own game.
“Yeah, for sure. I did tell myself sometimes, when I wasn’t playing well, that I should sit down and see how they hit it on the range,” he said.
While he has not always been able to do that, he recognises the key traits that set them apart.
“I didn’t get to that, but I know they’re very repetitive with their work,” Lee added. “They do the boring stuff really well, and that’s something that I always needed to get better at as a young kid.
“Especially when you’re out here trying to contend and be a better player, you just have to do the boring stuff really well.”
That level of control and reliability is something he believes both Scheffler and McIlroy have mastered.
“They make it very easy, and that’s where I want my game to be. Especially in pretty hard situations, they manage to get out of it and still make the most of it.”
Min Woo Lee preparing to defend Houston Open title ahead of The Masters
This week provides another big opportunity for Lee as he looks to build momentum ahead of Augusta.
The Houston Open comes just two weeks before The Masters, making it a key stop for players fine-tuning their game.
Lee has already shown he can compete at a high level, but his performances have been somewhat inconsistent.
At times, he has looked capable of beating anyone in the field, but maintaining that level week after week remains a challenge.
If he can take on board the lessons from Scheffler and McIlroy, that could soon change.
And with confidence high as defending champion, this week could be another step towards closing the gap on the world’s very best.