Asian Tour Yearbook - 2022

Kazuki King of Koma Shinhan Donghae event goes beyond borders W hen Shinhan Financial Group’s founder Heuikeon Lee oversaw the development of Koma Country Club in the 1980s, it was yet another feather in the cap for a high-flying executive playing a significant role in Korean and Japanese relations. The opportunity to talk finance while playing golf for industry leaders from both nations was an ingenious move that would bring with it many rewards. However, little did Lee think that over four decades later his efforts, with both Shinhan and Koma, would help lead to a similar coming together of individuals from both sides of the Sea of Japan but from the world of professional golf. In September of 2022, almost exactly 42 years after Koma opened, the club hosted the Shinhan Donghae Open – an event tri-sanctioned by the Asian, Japan and Korean Tours. It was also the first time, since the tournament’s launch in 1981, that it had been staged outside of Korea. Lee passed away in 2011, sadly missing the opportunity to attend what proved to be arguably the finest edition of the prestigious Korean event. It had only been tri-sanctioned by the three Tours once before in 2019 – the COVID-19 global pandemic meant it could only be played as a domestic event in 2020 and 2021 – so there was a sense of elation in 2022 when the tournament returned to the international arena. And with three Tours involved that means only one thing: the cream of the crop from the region entered, as well as Siwoo Kim – the Korean star who plays on the PGA Tour, where he has triumphed three times. Sure enough, it was one of the principle names of the Asian game who prevailed in the 38th staging of the event. Japan’s Kazuki Higa showed just why he was ranked the number one player in Japan coming into the week when he birdied the final two holes to win. On an exhilarating final day, he holed a pressure-packed 15-foot birdie putt on the short, driveable par-four 18th to return a six-under-par 65 for a tournament total of 20 under, and a two- shot victory over Tirawat Kaewsiribandit from Thailand, Korean Mingyu Cho and Yonggu Shin from Canada. Tirawat, who started the day with a three- shot advantage and held a narrow lead for much of the day, closed with a 72 – which featured an incredible albatross – while Cho fired a 66, and Shin a 68. Siwoo Kim, playing in the final group, returned a 70, to end three behind the winner, in a tie for fifth, along with the 2019 champion Jbe Kruger from South Africa, who signed off with a best of the day 63. Higa’s bid for victory came at the very death. Kazuki Higa’s (ABOVE) victory was one of four in 2022. I was playing in Asia before competing on the Japan Tour, so I am glad to get a Tour card now on the Asian Tour. The Asian Tour is getting bigger! -KAZUKI HIGA 93 S H I N H A N D O N G H A E O P E N KOMA COUNTRY C LUB , NAR A , JAPAN | S E PTEMB E R 8 -11 , 2022 | P R IZE MON E Y K RW 1 ,400,000,000 (AP P ROXI MATE LY US$1 ,050, 500)