On Monday, Lee flew to California for the Tiger Woods Foundation fund-raising, Chevron World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club, Thousand Oaks. Tiger Woods, who hosts the event, will not be taking part this year. Lee's wife Laurae, who travelled with Lee, was doing some star-spotting of her own on the trip, when she sat near to Jennifer Aniston and Orlando Bloom.
The event opens with a Pro-Am on Wednesday and play begins on Thursday. Lee had a 10.00 tee-time (GMT-8) with Padraig Harrington from the 1st on Thursday. By the 9th, Lee was tied at the top of the leaderboard on 4-under par but dropped shots on the back nine, settling for a 1-under 71 and T7th place in the eighteen player field. Zach Johnson leads on 4-under par.
"It's tricky if you get out of position. The greens are so quick and so undulated that you can short-side yourself quite easily", he said later. "And you know, there's not a lot of room out there on 16, 18 in the water right, and 18's a tough hole, and if you start hitting off line, then it penalizes you, which is what a good golf course is all about".
Lee playing with Sean O'Hair on Friday, produced a second round 67 and again with Sean on Saturday, carded a 69 to end the day in T3rd place.
"I played pretty good over the first three days", he said. "I haven't really made enough putts. A little bit rusty on the greens, but it's getting in there.
I didn't play as good today as I did the first couple of days. I didn't get the first couple of days falling back and have good chances tomorrow. I won't be far off the lead. Anything can happen".
But he said he didn't plan on doing anything differently on the final day, saying he was going to, " Just keep playing the same and trying not to make too many mistakes. If you get aggressive on this golf course, I think you can short-side yourself and you start making bogeys, so I think you've got to play a patient game out there... strategic game"
He joined Padraig Harrington for the last round with a 10.30 tee-time.
Lee was tied for the lead with one to play in the final round, but Jim Furyk birdied it to win and unfortunately, Lee made bogey to slip back into a tie for third with Padraig Harrington. Harrington and Lee both shot 70 and tied for third at 11-under 277. But Lee's third place finish at the Chevron World Challenge wasn't quite enough to move him up to third, his highest-ever position on the world rankings and he remains in fourth place.
"I missed the putt to tie on the last... after that I lost a bit of concentration".
"This is always a great tournament. It's a nice one to get an invite to because it shows you've had a good year and you're up in world rankings. And you know, it's a nice place to come play. The weather's generally good. The course is nice. It's good".
So, what will he do to recharge the batteries over the Christmas holidays?
"Just put the clubs away really. Not play golf. Get in the gym, do some work on fitness, and come out next year mentally fresh and physically fresh".
