"Power Hitter" Jeong Chan-min "Extended Victory"... "This Time, Short Game"

Golfzon-Doray Open: Defeating Kang Kyungnam
Second Win of the Season, Additional Prize Money of 140 Million Won
"Challenging LIV Golf Qualifying After the Season"

Jung Chan-min is the ‘Korean Hulk.’ He is called the ‘Korean Bryson DeChambeau (USA).’ He has a solid physique, standing 188cm tall and weighing 120kg. At the 2017 Young Champions Trophy held at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in the UK, he hit a massive 370m (about 405 yards), his longest drive record. Last year, Jung Chan-min topped the Korean Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Korean Tour with an average drive distance of 312.4 yards, earning the title of ‘long hitter.’ This year, he ranks second in the long drive category with 314.31 yards.

Jung Chan-min is cheering after securing a playoff victory at the Golfzon-Doray Open.
[Photo by KPGA]

Jung Chan-min has evolved. Adding short game skills to his long drives, he is becoming a complete player. On the 5th, at the Golfzon-Doray Open (total prize money 700 million KRW) held at Golfzon County Seonsan Country Club (par 72, 7,183 yards) in Gumi, Gyeongbuk Province, he shot 7 under par in the 4th round to tie with Kang Kyung-nam at 21 under par 267 strokes, then clinched the victory with a winning birdie on the second hole of the playoff at the 18th hole (par 5). This is his second career win, six months after the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in May, with a winner’s prize of 140 million KRW.

Jung Chan-min said, “I had inflammation in my left shoulder rotator cuff, so I didn’t expect to win, but I’m very happy to get my second win so quickly.” He added, “Although my driving distance decreased after the injury, my short game and putting improved, which I think helped me win.” Jung carries four wedges. When close to the green, he mostly uses a 60-degree wedge. He also had success with wedge shots that day. He explained, “I’m naturally good at the short game. My most confident shots are the lob shot and flop shot,” and added, “In the short game, I think personal feel is more important than practice.”

Jung Chan-min completed his victory in a place like his hometown where he spent his ‘youth.’ He moved to Gumi in the second year of middle school and attended high school there. Since golf-related expenses were too high in the metropolitan area, he looked for a local area and connected with Gumi. He said, “Many regional tournaments in Gyeongbuk were held here, so I came often,” and smiled brightly, “I wanted to win here after turning pro, and I fulfilled that dream.”

After the season, Jung plans to prepare for bigger stages by combining training and rehabilitation. He said, “First, I will focus on recovering my lost driving distance to the previous level and improving accuracy,” and added, “As a test, I will participate in the LIV Golf qualifying event held in Abu Dhabi in December.”

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