Two Wins in KPGA Classic's Points-Based Tournament
First Victory in Three Years Since Hanjang Sang Invitational
Choi Seungbin Finishes Second, Ok Taehun Third, Lee Taehui Sixth
Bae Yongjun has emerged as a dominant force in the Modified Stableford format.
On May 11, at the Northwest Course (par 71, 7,120 yards) of Cypress Golf & Resort in Seogwipo, Jeju, Bae recorded eight birdies without a single bogey during the final third round of the KPGA Classic?the only tournament on the Korea Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Tour to use the Modified Stableford system. He added 16 points to finish with a total of 38 points, winning by a margin of 6 points. Bae achieved his first KPGA Tour victory in July 2022 at the HonorsK·Sollago CC Hanjang Sang Invitational, which also used the Modified Stableford format, and was named Rookie of the Year that season. With this victory, he ended a nearly three-year winless drought and secured his second career title. The winner's prize is 140 million won.
The KPGA Classic determines rankings by totaling points awarded for each hole under the Modified Stableford system. A par is worth 0 points, a birdie earns 2 points, an eagle is 5 points, and an albatross is 8 points. A bogey results in -1 point, while a double bogey or worse is scored as -3 points.
Choi Seungbin surged into second place with 14 points, finishing with a total of 32 points. This result surpasses his fourth-place finish at last month's season-opening DB Insurance Promy Open and marks his best performance of the year. Ok Taehun managed only 2 points and dropped to third place with 27 points. Yang Jiho and Lim Yetaek tied for fourth place with 26 points each, while Lee Taehui finished sixth with 25 points. The tournament, which began on May 8 and was originally scheduled as a 72-hole event over four days until May 11, was shortened to 54 holes after the second round was postponed to May 10 due to thunderstorms and strong winds on May 9.
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