Jung Woo Ham ended a two-year drought with a wire-to-wire victory.
Jeong-woo Ham won the fourth round of the Hyundai Marine Choi Kyung-ju Invitational on the Korea Professional Golf (KPGA) Korean Tour at Ferrum Club (Par 72) in Yeoju, Gyeonggi-do, on Monday by one stroke for a final total of 6-under-par 282.
After winning this very event in 2021, Ham returned to the winner’s circle for the first time in two years and earned 250 million won in prize money. It was his third career victory on the KPGA Tour.
He moved up to third on the season money list (505.72 million won) and first on the Genesis Points list (4,861.42 points).
Ham also fulfilled his wish to take a photo with his wife and daughter after the win.
This is the second wire-to-wire victory this season after Kimbio (LX Championship).
Choi Jin-ho chased Ham Jung-woo all the way, but finished one stroke behind with a total of 5-under-par 283.
Four players – Jeon Sung-hyun, Kim Chan-woo, Jeong Jae-hyun and Cho Sung-min – tied for third place at 4-under par 284.
It was a victory that came after leading from the first to the fourth round, but the final day was not easy.
While Ham was unable to reduce his score with a bogey and a birdie until the 11th hole, the second-place group came out and threatened his lead.
After dropping a shot on the 12th (par-5) to regain sole possession of the lead, Ham changed the momentum with back-to-back birdies on the 15th (par-4) and 16th (par-3).
After the top contenders were unable to overturn the deficit and went out one by one, Choi Jin-ho was the only other competitor left in the group.
Ham dropped a shot on the 17th hole (par-4), but Choi Jin-ho bogeyed the same hole and maintained a two-stroke lead.
Ham made bogey on the final hole (par-5), but Choi finished with a par to take the title by one stroke.
“After having a baby, I feel more responsible, and I used to give up, but now I play harder,” Ham said in a post-tournament interview.
“I want to try out for the Confederation Tour’s (PGA Tour’s secondary tour) Qualifying School this year,” he said.
Cho Woo-young, who won the team gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games, was tied for 18th (1-over par 289) and Jang Yubin was tied for 27th (4-over par 292). 파워볼분석