Asian Tour Yearbook: 2023

CC Han Jang-sang Invitational in June. He eventually finished the year fourth on their money list. “There have been failures in the past few years, but this is my season,” said Koh, who also won his second event of the year in extra time.’ “The first win this year was the hardest but now I am in the mode and enjoying the experience. Today required a lot of patience and concentration as with For Guntaek Koh [FAR LEFT] it was his third win of the year in Korea. Keita Nakajima [LEFT] and Anthony Quayle [ABOVE] tied for third. Phachara having posted such a good score early on the chase was on. I felt I had to make that birdie putt in the play-off, if not I felt I was going to lose. “A victory in an event of this scale, against the best from the Asian Tour and Japan Tour is simply incredible.” Earlier in the day, the 23-year-old from Jeju had a one shot-lead over Lee at the turn after going out in four-under-par 32, thanks to birdies on four and five and an eagle on the par-five seventh, with Phachara another shot back. However, he dropped a shot on 10 and made a double on 13, while Phachara stormed into the lead. Koh was on the 15th when Phachara finished his round, two-behind the Thai golfer, along with Lee. Both made birdie on that hole to move one closer, but Lee fell away with a bogey on 16, paving the way for Koh’s grandstand finish. Phachara was looking to secure his second victory on the Asian Tour – his first was the Laguna Phuket Championship at the end of 2021 – but he took solace from the fact he had found his swing again. “I am back to my old game now,” said the Thai star, “because I only just found my swing last week, before I arrived at this tournament. I found with my coach on Sunday, it was actually Sunday night. “I had lost it about three weeks ago. For those two events in UK my swing was gone. I was relying on my short game to make the cut in those UK events. I couldn’t figure it out until my coach helped. My coach is Paragorn – a very good friend, now my full-time coach.” He added: “My game now is very, very good. Best since I started playing golf. Normally my driver is the problem but now it’s great. I hit many fairways today and I had a lot of birdies.” Lee, winner of this event in 2017, returned a 70 and tied for third with Japan’s Keita Nakajima, who carded a 66, and Australian Anthony Quayle, in with a 69. They finished two strokes short of the play-off. The tournament was tri-sanctioned between the Asian, Japan and Korea Tours. 99 SH I NHA N DONGHA E OPEN OC E AN COU R S E AT C LU B 7 2 , I N CH EON , KO R E A | S E P T EMB E R 7 - 1 0 | P R I Z E MON E Y K RW 1 , 4 0 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 ( A P P ROX I MAT E LY U S $ 1 . 0 5 M I L L I ON )