Asian Tour Yearbook: 2023

back into play, reached the green with his third and to the roar of the crowd holed a 30-footer for an astonishing par save – affirming this was most certainly his week, and the greatest of his career at that point. His lead was cut to six on the ensuing hole after a bogey and by the 18th he was five ahead, and he put the icing on the Seungsu Han [FAR LEFT] led from start to finish and pictured [LEFT] with Kyungnam Kang – both having secured the two places available in The Open. cake by holing a six-foot birdie putt on the testing par-five final hole, which was engulfed by huge, patriotic galleries. “This is such a great honour,” said Han, whose western name is Steve. “I was really struggling with foot pains and my throat wasn’t good either, so it was tremendously challenging. I hardly looked at the scores, maybe a few times. I didn't look at it on purpose. It was about being mentally strong and my putting was great, I holed some long ones. “I first started playing golf in Korea when I was 13, so the Korea Open means a lot to me. I think it is the best tournament in Korea.” Born in Incheon, Korea, he moved to the United States when he was 13. He still lives there and first started to play in Asia back in 2010, enjoying most of his success in Japan. Remarkably he was the only player to finish under par, and for his fine effort he earned a cheque for US$222,222. He became the 12th wire-to-wire winner of the tournament, and the seventh American to win after Ricky Fowler (2011), Edward Loar (2004), John Daly (2003), Mike Cunning (1994), Scott Hoch (1990 and 1991), and Orville Moody, who won the first three editions of the event starting in 1958. Han’s six-shot winning margin also matched the record set by Fowler, based on records going back to 1996. Making it through to The Open marked the second time he had played in a Major. He missed the cut there, unlike at the PGA Championship in 2018. Defending champion Minkyu Kim of Korea returned a 73 to tie for fourth on two-over-par with countrymen Dongmin Lee, Jaekyeong Lee and Junghwan Lee, and Australian Brendan Jones – winner of the New Zealand Open earlier in the season. 79 KOLON KOR E A OPEN WOO J EON G H I L L S CO U N T RY C L U B | J U N E 2 2 - 2 5 | 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 7 5 , 0 0 0 )