'Saemangeum Jangta King' Kim Minseong "The sea breeze is too strong"... 'Jangta Queen' is Son Mina

Kim Min-seong is receiving the trophy immediately after winning the 'Saemangeum National Long Drive Competition'.

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] Kim Min-seong (34) has been crowned the ‘Saemangeum Long Drive King.’

This is the result of the ‘Saemangeum National Long Drive Competition’ held on the 6th at a special venue set up next to the Saemangeum Promotion Center in Buan-gun, Jeonbuk, organized by Jakwang Co., Ltd., a real estate development specialist company. In the preliminary round played on the SG screen golf, he hit 336.10m, and in the first round of the finals that day, he drove 301.20m. In the quarterfinals held in the afternoon with strong winds, he recorded 273.05m, 260.33m in the semifinals, and 280.16m in the finals. He expressed regret, saying, "Unlike most competitions held on downhill holes, this was set on flat ground, and the sea breeze was very strong."

Kim has experience working as a caddie at Hildesheim Golf Course in Jecheon, Chungbuk. This is already his third time competing, including hitting 321m at the 2019 Peugeot Long Drive Competition while preparing for the World Long Drive Championship, and the Hanwha Financial Group Long Drive Competition last June. He shared a tip, saying, "It’s not about gripping harder to hit farther. Instead, holding the club lightly as if rolling up a newspaper helps reduce excessive wrist tension, which increases swing speed."

The ‘Long Drive Queen’ is Son Min-a (18), a high school senior. She recorded 252.41m in the preliminaries, 240.12m in the first round of the finals, and 226.45m in the final match. She said, "I am preparing to turn professional next year," and introduced her secret to long drives as "consistent physical training." The total prize money is 100 million KRW, with the winner’s prize being a whopping 20 million KRW. Jakwang Co., Ltd. is planning to build a tourist observation tower in Jeonju, Jeonbuk, which will be the 5th tallest in the world at 470m. Its sister company, Jakwang Holdings, operates the 27-hole Ray Castle Golf Course in Sejong City and is actively engaging in various golf marketing activities.

A special stadium for the 'Saemangeum National Long Drive Competition' set up next to the Saemangeum Promotion Center in Buan-gun, Jeonbuk.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.