His world ranking drops from 158 to well under 100, he gains automatic entry to this year's Open Championship at St Andrews and the USPGA, plus the US Masters next year. He moves to 15th on the season-long Fed-Ex Cup standings and gains a PGA Tour card for the next two years.
Not to mention the first prize cheque of US$1.8 million ($2.69 million).
The win is no fluke as Lee has been in the best form of his career with three top 10 and eight top 25 finishes this year.
Lee learned his craft at Rotorua's Springfield Golf Club where the club's annual tournament is named after him.
He was the undoubted star player in the club's unsurpassed three consecutive national inter-club championship titles and he also captained Bay of Plenty to several inter-provincial titles.
Former Springfield Golf Club president Ross Fowler's fondest memory of Lee is when he shot a seven-under 65 aged 14 at Napier's Maraenui Golf Club to break the course record at the 2005 inter-club finals.
Fowler says the point of difference between Lee and other talented teenage golfers is his work ethic.
"No question about it," Fowler said. "Obviously he had a lot of natural ability but he would be at the practice fairway first thing in the morning, play a couple of rounds of golf and still be there when his dad would have the headlights on the putting green."
Lee's former media manager, Craig Tiriana, has also known Lee since his early days playing in short pants.
"I got quite a privileged seat watching him grow up because I was a club mate and got to watch him through the media," Tiriana said.
"He was always impressive with so much talent and he worked so hard, but you never knew where it was going to take him.
"He has only probably just finished his apprenticeship as a professional. This is a phenomenal result for him but is probably a result his pedigree said should come.
"We just didn't know how long it would take.
"The potential is this could open the floodgates for him because, when he was an amateur, he was ranked number one in the world."
