Final Day of the Tournament: 5 Under Par, 3-Stroke Lead to Victory
Second Tournament Win Since 2022, Third Career Win
Song Younghan in 2nd Place, Jang Yubin and Kang Kyungnam Tied for 3rd
"Match King" Kim Min-gyu has once again claimed the "national title."
On the 23rd, at Chungnam Cheonan City Woojeong Hills Country Club (Par 71, 7,326 yards), Kim Min-gyu shot 5 under par in the 4th round of the Kolon 66th Korea Open (total prize money 1.4 billion KRW), jointly hosted by the Korea Golf Association (KGA) and the Asian Tour, securing a 3-stroke victory (11 under par, 273 strokes).
This is his second win at the tournament in two years since his first career victory at the 2022 Korea Open. It is also his second win of the season and third overall, following the Descente Korea Match Play that ended on the 2nd. The winner's prize money is 500 million KRW. He rose to first place in both the prize money ranking (772.28 million KRW) and the points for the Order of Merit (3,927 points). He also earned an entry ticket to The Open, allowing him to participate in the major tournament held in Scotland this July for the first time in two years.
Starting in 3rd place, 3 strokes behind, Kim Min-gyu recorded 1 eagle, 5 birdies, and 2 bogeys. After making "stepping stone birdies" on holes 3 to 5, he briefly paused with a bogey on the 7th hole (par 3), then surged to a shared lead with an eagle on the 8th hole (par 5) by reaching the green in two shots and making a one-putt. In the back nine, he made a 2.5-meter birdie putt on the 12th hole (par 4) to extend his lead to 3 strokes. On the 13th hole (par 3), his tee shot flew left of the green and seemed to have landed in the water, but after splashing once, it miraculously bounced out into the rough. He then placed his second shot onto the green and saved par, escaping a major crisis. Although he lost a stroke with a bogey on the 16th hole (par 3) after a birdie on the 14th hole (par 4), he reduced another stroke on the final 18th hole (par 5) to celebrate his victory.
Song Young-han, who was the leader the previous day, recorded 3 birdies, 1 bogey, and 1 double bogey, failing to reduce his score. He finished as runner-up (8 under par, 276 strokes) and secured a ticket to The Open along with Kim Min-gyu. Jang Yoo-bin chased the leaders by lowering his score by 6 strokes but settled for a tie for 3rd place (7 under par, 277 strokes) with Kang Kyung-nam. Heo In-hoe and Hwang Jung-gon tied for 6th place (3 under par, 281 strokes), Ham Jung-woo and Yoo Song-gyu tied for 8th place (2 under par, 282 strokes), and Bae Sang-moon and Lee Sang-hee finished tied for 10th place (1 under par, 283 strokes).
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