Ok Tae-hoon, Dramatic Birdie on Final Hole... Asian Tour Victory

Kim Bio and Close Match Ends with One Stroke Victory
Amateur Jo Wooyoung (21), Tied 7th... 10 Under Par 274 Strokes

Ok Tae-hoon, the winner of the Asian Pro Golf Tour International Series Korea, shot 3-under 68 with six birdies and three bogeys in the final round on the 21st.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Tae-won] Ok Tae-hoon (24) won the Asian Professional Golf Tour International Series Korea (total prize money $1.5 million) with a final total of 15-under-par 269 after a close battle with Kim Bi-o.

On the final day of the tournament held on the 21st at Lotte Skyhill CC in Seogwipo, Jeju Island (par 71, 7,079 yards), Ok Tae-hoon shot 3-under-par 68 with six birdies and three bogeys in the 4th round.

Ok Tae-hoon, who served as a national representative reserve for two years starting in 2013, has won on the Korean Professional Golf Association (KPGA) 2nd and 3rd tours but has yet to win on the KPGA Korean Tour. However, this season he has been on the rise, ranking joint first in top-10 finishes and 8th in prize money on the Korean Tour, drawing attention to his winning potential even before the tournament.

After turning professional in 2016, Ok Tae-hoon effectively secured his first victory and received a winner's prize of $270,000 (approximately 360 million KRW).

The match was a close contest, with Ok Tae-hoon edging out Kim Bi-o (32) by one stroke. Up to the 16th hole (par 4), Ok was leading by two strokes over Kim Bi-o and Trevor Simsby (USA), who were tied for second place.

However, his tee shot on the 17th hole (par 3) went into the left rough near the green, costing him one stroke. Meanwhile, Kim Bi-o, playing in the group ahead, made a birdie on the 18th hole (par 5) to tie at 14-under-par and finished his round first.

Ok Tae-hoon faced the risk of entering a playoff after losing his two-stroke lead. But on the final 18th hole, he hit his third shot to about 1.5 meters from the hole and finished with a birdie.

In the awards ceremony interview, he said, "My father passed away early, so I want to express my gratitude to him, and I am also thankful to my mother who allowed me to play golf." He added, "This tournament became a stepping stone for me to move forward."

After completing the 17th hole, Ok Tae-hoon learned that he was tied with Kim Bi-o. He said, "I asked my caddie on the 18th hole, 'Can I do well?' and he said, 'You can,' so I confidently approached the last hole."

Kim Bi-o, who was aiming for his second Asian Tour win this season following the GS Caltex Maekyung Open co-hosted by the Korea Golf Association and the Asian Tour in May, unfortunately finished as runner-up.

Kim Bi-o received $165,000 as the runner-up prize and has accumulated $579,000 in prize money this season on the Asian Tour, ranking first in earnings.

Among foreign players, Simsby recorded 13-under-par 271, finishing alone in third place with the best result.

Meanwhile, amateur Jo Woo-young (21), who was tied for second place just one stroke behind after three rounds, lost one stroke on the day and finished tied for seventh with 10-under-par 274.

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