At the DB Insurance Promy Open, Lee Tae-hoon aims for back-to-back title defense and prize money crown, with star rookies Kim Joo-hyung and Kim Min-kyu in fierce competition
'Korea's No. 1' Kim Tae-hoon kicks off the 2021 season at the DB Insurance Promy Open. Photo by KPGA
[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Back-to-back wins for the Player of the Year and the Money List champion."
‘Korea’s No. 1’ Kim Tae-hoon (36, Bizplay) has a determined ambition. The DB Insurance Pro-Am Open (total prize money 700 million KRW), which opens on the 15th at Oak Valley Golf Club’s Oak and Maple Courses in Wonju, Gangwon Province (par 72, 7,147 yards), is the opening event of the 2021 Korean Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Korean Tour season. Last year’s event was canceled due to COVID-19, and this year the total prize money has increased by 200 million KRW, making the tournament even bigger. The 2019 champion Lee Tae-hoon (Canada) is aiming to defend his title after two years.
Kim Tae-hoon rose to ‘double crown’ status with his victory at the Genesis Championship last October. He fully committed to the ‘Player of the Year race’ by even giving up his spot at the PGA Tour’s The CJ Cup towards the end of the season, which paid off handsomely. In fact, while competitors such as Kim Han-byeol (25, SK Telecom), Lee Jae-kyung (22, CJ O Shopping), and Ham Jung-woo (27) entered a two-week self-quarantine period after their U.S. tour, Kim Tae-hoon secured first place in the Player of the Year standings by finishing tied for 32nd at the Bizplay Electronic Times Open, and maintained his title with a tied 9th place finish at the final event, the Players Championship.
For Kim Tae-hoon, this translated into a bonus of 50 million KRW, a Genesis car, and a ‘direct ticket’ to the 2021 European Tour, among other tremendous rewards. "Due to the impact of COVID-19 this season, I plan to focus on the domestic tour rather than advancing to the European Tour," he said, adding, "Above all, I am eager to achieve multiple wins, something I have never done since my tour debut." He expressed confidence, saying, "If I reach two or three wins, the Player of the Year and Money List titles will naturally follow."
'Number 2' Kim Hanbyeol took the initiative at the Korean Tour 2021 season opener, the DB Insurance Promy Open.
It is interesting that Lee Tae-hoon will wear the DB Insurance cap starting this year. He is attempting the first-ever consecutive win at a tournament hosted by his agency. Kim Han-byeol, who ranks second in prize money, emphasizes the importance of gaining an early advantage. Last August and September, he swept two consecutive tournament wins at the Hazzy’s Golf KPGA Open and the Shinhan Donghae Open, drawing a spotlight on him. He revealed, "Last winter, I focused on physical training and invested intensively in wedge shots within 100 meters."
Other top stars such as Lee Tae-hee (37), Moon Kyung-jun (39, NH Nonghyup Bank), and Park Sang-hyun (38, Dong-A Pharmaceutical) are also strong contenders for victory. Kim Joo-hyung (19) is dreaming of making a splash early this year. In July, he set a new milestone as the youngest KPGA champion at the Gunsan CC Open (18 years and 21 days old), and subsequently gained world league experience through PGA Tour invitation events. Kim Min-kyu (20, both CJ Logistics) secured his tour card and joined the ‘young guns’ competition, while Oh Seung-taek (23) and Kim Dong-eun (24) will make their debuts.
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