Lee Taehun's 4-Strike Victory "I am the King of Cheongra"... Kim Mingyu in 2nd Place

Hana Bank Invitational Final Day 1 Under Par, Kim Min-gyu and Moon Do-yeop Chasers Face "Triple Bogey Trap"

Lee Tae-hoon is cheering while holding the trophy immediately after winning the Hana Bank Invitational. Photo by KPGA

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "I am the king of Cheongna."

Lee Tae-hoon (Canada) added 1-under par on the final day of the KPGA Hana Bank Invitational (total prize money 1 billion KRW), which concluded on the 24th at Bears Best Cheongna Golf Club in Incheon (par 71, 7,208 yards), securing a commanding 4-stroke victory (17-under par 267). This was his first win of the season and his third career victory, coming 2 years and 6 months after the DB Insurance Promy Open in April 2019. With a winner's prize of 200 million KRW, he rose to 7th place in the money rankings with 396 million KRW.

Lee Tae-hoon earned direct entry to the Korean Tour by winning the Shinhan Donghae Open co-hosted with the Asian Tour in September 2017. He secured a 5-year tour card and reached two wins in 2019. Born in Toronto, Canada, as second-generation Korean-Canadian Richard T. Lee, he changed his name while competing on the domestic circuit. It is noteworthy that the Shinhan Donghae Open was held at Bears Best Cheongna at that time. He finished second in the September 2019 Shinhan Donghae Open.

This highlights Lee Tae-hoon's particular strength at Cheongna. He introduced the course as "similar in design and grass to those in Canada." Starting the day with a 2-stroke lead, he recorded 4 birdies and 3 bogeys. He explained, "The wind was strong, and the pin positions were difficult," adding, "I focused on defense with knockdown shots." His actual green hit rate of 77.78% showcased his precise striking. He added a hunter instinct by stating, "In the 2022 season, I will challenge for individual titles such as the money list and the Player of the Year award."

‘20-year-old young gun’ Kim Min-kyu (CJ Logistics) finished second (13-under par 271), and Moon Do-yeop (30, DB Insurance) came in third (12-under par 272). Interestingly, all the chasers suffered critical triple bogeys. Kim Min-kyu made a triple bogey by twice losing his ball in the water on the 8th hole (par 4), while Moon Do-yeop self-destructed with a triple bogey on the 9th hole (par 5) and a double bogey on the 15th hole (par 4). Defending champion Seo Yo-seop (25, DB Insurance) remained tied for 25th place (1-under par 283).