'21-year-old Young Gun' Kim Min-gyu "I am the National Title Champ"

Jin-kyu Cho Wins in Overtime at Korea Open... '45 Million Won Jackpot' and The Open Ticket Included

Kim Min-gyu is making a chip shot on the 5th hole on the final day of the Korea Open. Photo by Kolon Korea Open Organizing Committee

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] Kim Min-gyu (21) has claimed the 'national title.'

On the 26th, at Chungnam Cheonan Woojeong Hills Golf Club (par 71, 7,326 yards), Kim added a 2-under-par round on the final day of the Kolon Korean Open (total prize money 1.35 billion KRW) to tie with Cho Min-gyu (34) at 4-under-par 280. Then, in the '3-hole playoff' resumed from holes 16 to 18, he won by one stroke. This is his first victory since debuting on the Korean Tour last year, earning a winner's prize of 450 million KRW. Additionally, he secured a ticket to next month's final major of the PGA Tour, The Open Championship.

Kim Min-gyu was a promising player selected as the youngest ever national representative in 2015. At just 16 years old in 2017, he won twice on the European EuroPro (third-tier) Tour. In 2018, he was immediately promoted to the Challenge (second-tier) Tour and set the youngest winner record at the Czech Challenge (17 years and 64 days). In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he appeared on the domestic stage, making headlines again with back-to-back runner-up finishes at the KPGA Gunsan CC Open and KPGA Open in July.

At that time, he ranked 22nd in the prize money rankings, securing his Korean Tour card for the 2021 season. Last year, including a runner-up finish at the Hana Bank Invitational, he placed in the top 10 three times, maintaining his seed at 25th in the prize money rankings. This year, before this tournament, he participated in eight events and impressively finished in the top 5 four times. After tying for 2nd at last month's Woori Financial Championship and tying for 3rd at the SK Telecom Open on the 5th, he finally collected the winner's trophy in a 'big match.'