Lee Hyosong (left) and Ahn Sunghyun, who won both the men's and women's titles at the Junior Open held in Scotland.
Hana Financial Group announced on the 19th that the national representatives Lee Hyo-song (16, Masan Jeil High School) and Ahn Sung-hyun (15, Bibong Middle School), sponsored by the group’s golf team, won the men’s and women’s titles respectively at the 'Junior Open' tournament organized by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R&A).
The Junior Open tournament, organized by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, features 120 amateur players representing 70 countries under the age of 16. This marks the first victory by South Korean players and the first time both male and female players have won simultaneously since the tournament’s inception in 2000.
Women’s champion Lee Hyo-song shot an even-par 72 in the final round, finishing with a total score of 9-under 207, beating second-place Iwanaga Anna (Japan, 1-under 215) by 8 strokes to claim the top spot. Lee Hyo-song is a promising South Korean player who made waves by becoming the youngest ever winner at the World Ladies Salonpas Cup, a major on the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA) Tour, last May. Known as a golf prodigy comparable to the second Park In-bee, she has swept various national tournaments since elementary school.
Men’s champion Ahn Sung-hyun recorded a 4-under 68 in the final round, finishing with a total score of 6-under 210, winning by 4 strokes over second-place Cooper Moore (New Zealand, 2-under 214).
Ahn Sung-hyun is known as a ‘youngest record maker.’ He holds records such as the youngest participant in a KPGA Tour event (12 years and 11 months), the youngest to make the cut in a KPGA Tour event (13 years and 3 months), and the youngest national team selection (13 years and 5 months). Immediately after this tournament, Ahn plans to travel to the United States to compete in the ‘U.S. Junior Amateur Championship’ organized by the United States Golf Association (USGA) to continue his winning streak.
The Hana Financial golf team supports a total lineup of 14 players, both professional and amateur, who possess world-class skills on the global stage.
Hana Financial is preparing to host the KLPGA regular tour ‘Hana Financial Group Championship’ from September 26 to 29 at Bears Best Cheongna Golf Club. The tournament is expected to feature fierce competition among professionals, including women’s national representatives Lee Hyo-song and Oh Soo-min, who are sponsored by Hana Financial, as well as Esther Kwon (15, USA), who is active in the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA). Additionally, Lydia Ko (New Zealand), who boasts 19 LPGA Tour wins, Minjee Lee (Australia), currently ranked 12th in the world, and Patty Tavatanakit (Thailand) and Jaravee Boonchant (Thailand), both enjoying recent success with two wins this year, are also expected to participate.
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