4th Year Gogeuntaek Wins First Career Victory at KPGA Season Opening Tournament

Final Total of 20 Under Par 268, New Lowest Score Record
Defending Champion Park Sang-hyun Wins by 2 Shots
Prize Money of 140 Million Won and 3-Year Tour Card Secured

Ko Guntaek secured his first career victory at the 2023 Korea Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Korean Tour season opener.

Goguntaek clenched his fist after successfully making a birdie putt on the 5th hole during the final round of the DB Insurance Promy Open (total prize money 700 million KRW), the opening event of the Korean Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Korean Tour season, held on the 16th at La Vie Belle Country Club Old Course (Par 72) in Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do.
[Photo by KPGA]

On the 16th, Ko Guntaek shot a 7-under-par 65 in the final round of the KPGA Korean Tour season opener, the DB Insurance Promy Open (total prize money of 700 million KRW), held at La Vie Belle Country Club Old Course (par 72) in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. With a final total of 20-under-par 268, he edged out defending champion Park Sanghyun (18-under-par 270) by two strokes to claim the top spot.

Ko Guntaek, who debuted on the KPGA Korean Tour in 2020, achieved his first career win in his fourth year. He also secured a three-year KPGA Korean Tour exemption awarded to the winner of this tournament, which is one year longer than the exemption given for regular events. He earned a winner's prize of 140 million KRW. Prior to this, Ko Guntaek's best KPGA Korean Tour result in 48 tournaments was a tie for fourth place at last year's KB Financial Live Championship.

Starting the final round in second place, one stroke behind Seo Yoseop, Ko Guntaek surged to the lead with consecutive birdies on holes 13 through 15. Although he shared the lead with Park Sanghyun, who birdied the 16th hole (par 4), Ko regained a two-stroke lead after sinking a 4-meter birdie putt on the 17th hole (par 3), while Park made a bogey, effectively deciding the outcome.

Ko Guntaek also set a new tournament record for the lowest total score. The previous record was 269, set by Maeng Dongseop in 2017. Seo Yoseop, who led throughout the first three rounds and was aiming for victory at the season opener hosted by his main sponsor, finished third with a 16-under-par 272 after reducing his score by only two strokes in the final round.