Kang Sung-hoon "Title Defense After 2 Years"... 'Masters Champ' Matsuyama Ready to Compete

Challenging for Victory at AT&T Byron Nelson, Ram 'Top Favorite to Win', Spieth and Koepka Aim for 'Second Win'

Kang Sung-hoon attempted to defend his title at the AT&T Byron Nelson for the first time in two years.

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-jun] Kang Sung-hoon (34, CJ Logistics) is defending his title for the first time in two years.

On the night of the 13th (Korean time), at the Craig Ranch Golf Course in McKinney, Texas, USA (par 72, 7,468 yards), the AT&T Byron Nelson (total prize money $8.1 million) takes place. This tournament is the "promised land" where he achieved his first PGA Tour victory in 2019. Last year, the event was canceled due to COVID-19. World stars such as Jon Rahm (Spain), ranked 3rd in the world, Bryson DeChambeau (USA), ranked 4th, and Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) have all entered, heating up the atmosphere.

Kang Sung-hoon won the Korean Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Lotte Skyhill Open as an amateur in April 2006. He added his second win at the Eugene Investment & Securities Open in April 2010. He joined the PGA Tour in 2011 but struggled in 2012, spending three years honing his skills on the Korn Ferry Tour (the second-tier tour) before returning in 2016. It is remarkable that he briefly returned to Korea in 2013 and swept consecutive victories at the CJ Invitational and the Korean Open in October, becoming the 'Korean Tour money leader.'

In April 2017, he came close to victory with a 2nd place finish at the Shell Houston Open, and in 2019, he finally reached the PGA Tour champion ranks. Notably, on the second day at the Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas, Texas (par 71, 7,380 yards), Kang set a course record with 10-under par. This year, the course moved to Craig Ranch, which was a bit disappointing. In the 2021 season, he missed the cut 12 times in 20 events, so escaping this slump is urgent.

World No. 3 Jon Rahm is aiming for his first win of the season at the AT&T Byron Nelson.

Experts have named Rahm as the 'top favorite to win.' His consistency, with nine top-10 finishes in 13 events, has earned him high marks. DeChambeau is already on a 'three-win march,' having won the US Open last September and the Arnold Palmer Invitational this past March. He also warmed up with a tie for 9th at the Wells Fargo Championship, which ended on the 10th. Matsuyama is checking his winning shot form ahead of the second major, the PGA Championship, on the 20th. Last month, he made headlines as the first Asian player to win the Masters.

Jordan Spieth (USA) is a dark horse. He collected the winner's trophy at the Valero Texas Open held in his hometown for the first time in 3 years and 9 months and has fully entered 'revival mode' with a tie for 3rd at the Masters. Brooks Koepka (USA), the Waste Management Phoenix Open champion, is also making his return just one month after the Masters. The Korean contingent, including Kim Si-woo (26), Lee Kyoung-hoon (30, both CJ Logistics), and 'Tank' Choi Kyung-ju (51, SK Telecom), are looking for their opportunities.