2024-07-20 03:42:38
National golf team members Lee Hyo-song (16, Masan Jeil Girls’ High School 1st grade) and Ahn Sung-hyun (15, Bibong Middle School 3rd grade) won the boys’ and girls’ divisions at the Junior Open Championship. This is the first time that a Korean player has won the tournament hosted by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club (R&A), which also hosts major tournaments such as the Open Championship (British Open) on the US PGA Tour.
Lee Hyo-song won the women’s final third round held at the Barash Links (par 72) in Scotland on the 18th with a final total of 9-under 207, recording 3 birdies and 3 bogeys for an even par. Despite not being able to reduce her strokes on the final day, she still beat Japan’s Anna Iwanaga (15) by 8 strokes in second place. The difference in skill was so overwhelming that the tournament homepage introduced it as “the question is not whether Lee Hyo-song will win, but with what score she will win.” Lee Hyo-song surprised the golf world by setting a new record for youngest winner in the history of the JLPGA Tour (15 years and 176 days) at the World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup, a major tournament held in May.
On this day, Sung-hyun Ahn shot 8 birdies and 4 bogeys in the final 3rd round of the men’s division held at the same venue, and stood at the top with a final total of 6-under 210 strokes by reducing 4 strokes. He beat 2nd place Cooper Moore (16) of New Zealand by 4 strokes. Sung-hyun Ahn, who started the game in 2nd place, 1 stroke short of the leader, reduced 3 strokes in the first half alone, starting a comeback victory. Sung-hyun Ahn is a promising prospect for Korean golf, having set the record of the youngest national representative by wearing the Taegeuk mark at the age of 13 in 2022, when he was in his first year of middle school.
This tournament, which was launched in 1994 and has been hosted by the R&A since 2000, is open to players aged 12 to 16. A total of 120 players, 60 men and 60 women, participate, and each country can send one man and one woman. The tournament is held every two years and is held near the course where The Open is held. Ahn Sung-hyun and Lee Hyo-song participated in this tournament as the top players in the Korea Golf Association rankings in January.
After the tournament, Lee Hyo-song said, “I wanted to win because it’s a tournament where the world’s best juniors gather. I’m happy to win for Korea.” Ahn Sung-hyun added, “I gained a lot of confidence while practicing. It’s my first time playing on a links course (by the beach), and it means a lot to win.” The two players dream of advancing to the top tours, the LPGA Tour and the PGA Tour. In fact, Patrick Reed (currently with LIV Golf), who has won nine times on the PGA Tour, won this tournament in 2006. After the tournament, the two players headed to the Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland, the venue, to watch the first round of The Open.
Reporter Kang Hong-gu [email protected]
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2024-07-20 03:42:38