First Win Reported by Gokun Taek: "Now My Goal Is to Lead in Wins~"

KPGA Korean Tour Season Opening Victory
First Trophy in 4th Year Since Debut
Next Week, Hunting 2nd Win in Hometown Jeju

"Now my goal is to achieve multiple wins."

After securing his first career victory in his fourth year on the Korean Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Korean Tour, Ko Gun-taek expressed even greater ambitions. Following his win at the 2023 KPGA Korean Tour season opener, the DB Insurance Promy Open (total prize money 700 million KRW), held on the Old Course (par 72) at La Vie Belle Country Club in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province on the 16th, Ko said, "I really wanted to win this season, and I am happy to have won sooner than I expected."

Goguntaek is smiling brightly while holding the championship trophy after winning his first title in his fourth year since debut at the 2023 Korean Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Korean Tour season opener, the DB Insurance Promy Open (total prize money 700 million KRW), which concluded on the 16th at La Vie Belle Country Club Old Course (Par 72) in Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do.
[Photo by KPGA]

In the final round, he shot a 7-under-par 65, finishing with a total score of 20-under-par 268, edging out defending champion Park Sang-hyun (18-under-par 270) by two strokes to claim the top spot. This was his first victory since debuting on the KPGA Korean Tour in 2020. He also secured a three-year KPGA Korean Tour exemption, which is one year longer than usual for regular tournaments. He earned a winner’s prize of 140 million KRW. Prior to this, Ko Gun-taek’s best finish in 48 KPGA Korean Tour events was a tie for 4th place at last year’s KB Financial Live Championship.

Starting the final round in second place, one stroke behind Seo Yo-seop, Ko surged to the lead with consecutive birdies on holes 13 through 15. Although Park Sang-hyun caught up with a birdie on 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 reflected, "Throughout the tournament, the greens were very firm, so I frequently used fade shots to better control the ball on the greens, which proved very effective. In the final round, I aimed to play safely for pars, but was fortunate to make many birdies."

Ko Gun-taek also set a new tournament scoring record with his total of 268 strokes, breaking the previous record of 269 set by Maeng Dong-seop in 2017. He emphasized, "In the past three years, when competing near the top, I couldn’t control my emotions and lost my composure. I worked on improving these aspects during the winter and even self-hypnotized before the final round of this tournament."

Originally from Jeju, Ko will challenge for his second win of the season at the 'Golfzon Open in Jeju,' held in his hometown from the 20th to the 23rd. He said, "I am confident because I have played many times at the tournament venue, Golfzon County Ora. Winning twice in my hometown would be even better, and I want to consistently perform well throughout the season."