Wins the KPGA Gyeongbuk Open by Five Strokes
Leads in Prize Money, Total Wins, and Player of the Year Points
Choi Mincheol Finishes Second; Bae Yongjun and Yoo Songkyu Tie for Third
Ok Taehoon has achieved his third victory of the season on the Korea Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Tour.
On October 4, at Hanmaek Country Club (par 72, 7,315 yards) in Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province, Ok shot an 8-under-par 64 in the fourth round of the KPGA Gyeongbuk Open (total prize money of 700 million won), recording nine birdies and one bogey. With a final total of 22-under-par 266, he comfortably outpaced second-place Choi Mincheol (17-under-par 271) by five strokes. Following his wins at the KPGA Championship and Gunsan Country Club Open in June, this marks his third victory of the season. The winner’s prize of 140 million won has brought his season’s earnings to the brink of 1 billion won (991.62 million won). In addition to prize money, he also leads in both total wins and Player of the Year points (6,363.4 points).
Ok Taehoon is cheering while holding the trophy right after winning the KPGA Gyeongbuk Open. Photo by KPGA
Having become the inaugural champion of the newly established Gyeongbuk Open this year, Ok Taehoon said in a post-victory interview, “My shots weren’t going well yesterday, so I practiced until 8 p.m. Thinking about the areas where I was lacking and focusing on today’s round led to this good result. After a chip-in birdie on the 4th hole and sinking a long birdie putt on the 5th, I felt I was gaining momentum.”
Choi Mincheol, who made a birdie on the final 18th hole (par 5), finished the tournament in second place. Bae Yongjun and Yoo Songkyu tied for third (16-under-par 272), Hwang Junggon and Kang Yunseok tied for fifth (14-under-par 274), Kim Seungmin and Park Hyunseo tied for seventh (13-under-par 275), and Kim Minhui and Song Minhyeok tied for ninth (12-under-par 276).
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