Latest news with #GSCaltexMaekyungOpen
The Sun
04-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Doyeob Mun wins GS Caltex Maekyung Open
KOREAN Doyeob Mun, like a bolt from the blue, won the GS Caltex Maekyung Open after a sensational back nine birdie-fest saw him shoot a sizzling bogey-free eight-under-par 63. Mun, six behind the leaders at the start of the day and playing nine groups ahead of the final pairing, stormed through with six birdies on the second half – including four-in-row from the 11th – to win by three shots from Thailand's Jazz Janewattananond, plus Koreans Baekjun Kim and Junghwan Lee. Mun posted his 10-under par total two hours before the final players finished, anxiously waiting to see if he would be caught. Jazz missed makeable birdie putts on 14 and 15 and later bogeyed the last while Canadian Yonggu Shin birdied 13 and 14 to move one back but then dropped a shot on the 17th, before a catastrophic 10 on 18. He ended in a tie for 12th. Mun's run for the title was fast and furious. After making those four successive birdies he was one shot behind Jazz, who had just made the turn. The Korean soon joined Jazz in the lead on nine under after another birdie on 16 before making a birdie on the last for sole possession of first. He hit a majestic second shot on the difficult par-four 18th to six feet to set up one of only three birdies there today. And when Jazz dropped a shot on 13 Mun led by two in the clubhouse. He was hitting balls on the range in case of a play-off before events unfolded in his favour. 'I couldn't be happier to be on top of the leaderboard in a tournament I've always wanted to win,' said Mun, whose home club is Namseoul 'When the birdie putt on 18 went in, I thought I could at least make it to play-off. I talked to my caddie about making sure I made that birdie, and I'm happy that I did. 'The last three holes at Namseoul Country Club are particularly tricky. I focused on playing steady and making par rather than being aggressive. I wasn't aiming for birdies, just putting the ball in the right position.' It is his first win on the Asian Tour and fourth on the Korean PGA Tour, as this week's event is sanctioned with the local body. He last triumphed in Korea in 2022. The 33-year-old has played regularly on the Asian Tour since 2018, having made it through qualifying school in 2018 and this year, when he placed third. Previously, his best finish on tour came at the Shinhan Donghae Open in 2018, when he was joint fourth, and he also finished in the top five at the Singapore Open in 2019 and 2022. His 63 was two short of the course record and made a mockery of Namseoul's reputation for being one of the toughest courses on the circuit. Carved out of mountainous terrain, its undulating topography, and elevated greens, that are slick and sloping, make it a true test plus a physical challenge to walk. Fortunately, sunshine today replaced the grey skies and drizzle, from earlier in the week. Despite his brilliant come-from-behind win, Malaysia's Danny Chia still has the record for most shots gained on the last day. He came from seven behind to win the Taiwan Open in 2002 – when a typhoon played havoc with the scores. Jazz, who shared the lead at the start of the day with Baekjun Kim, was bidding to become the first overseas player to win this event in 21 years but faded on the back nine, playing it in two over. He said: 'Oh, I mean, it was so hard out there today, it was a grind fest. I mean, I tried to grind as much as I could. I didn't give up at all at any point. But it was just hard, you know, like I didn't have my best stuff out there, but overall, I think I finished up well. 'Congrats to Doyeob. I don't know how he shot eight under par today, but if it wasn't for him, I would be doing a play-off with another player right now. So overall, good.' Zimbabwe's Scott Vincent, two behind at the start of the day and like Jazz looking for his first win since 2022, was in contention for much of the day but finished poorly with a double bogey and three bogeys, carding a 75 to tie for 12th. The Asian Tour crosses the Sea of Japan next week for the International Series Japan presented by Moutai. The inaugural US$2million event is being played at Caledonian Golf Club, 8-11 May.
The Sun
04-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Doyeob Mun gatecrashes GS Caltex Maekyung Open with thrilling win
KOREAN Doyeob Mun, like a bolt from the blue, won the GS Caltex Maekyung Open after a sensational back nine birdie-fest saw him shoot a sizzling bogey-free eight-under-par 63. Mun, six behind the leaders at the start of the day and playing nine groups ahead of the final pairing, stormed through with six birdies on the second half – including four-in-row from the 11th – to win by three shots from Thailand's Jazz Janewattananond, plus Koreans Baekjun Kim and Junghwan Lee. Mun posted his 10-under par total two hours before the final players finished, anxiously waiting to see if he would be caught. Jazz missed makeable birdie putts on 14 and 15 and later bogeyed the last while Canadian Yonggu Shin birdied 13 and 14 to move one back but then dropped a shot on the 17th, before a catastrophic 10 on 18. He ended in a tie for 12th. Mun's run for the title was fast and furious. After making those four successive birdies he was one shot behind Jazz, who had just made the turn. The Korean soon joined Jazz in the lead on nine under after another birdie on 16 before making a birdie on the last for sole possession of first. He hit a majestic second shot on the difficult par-four 18th to six feet to set up one of only three birdies there today. And when Jazz dropped a shot on 13 Mun led by two in the clubhouse. He was hitting balls on the range in case of a play-off before events unfolded in his favour. 'I couldn't be happier to be on top of the leaderboard in a tournament I've always wanted to win,' said Mun, whose home club is Namseoul 'When the birdie putt on 18 went in, I thought I could at least make it to play-off. I talked to my caddie about making sure I made that birdie, and I'm happy that I did. 'The last three holes at Namseoul Country Club are particularly tricky. I focused on playing steady and making par rather than being aggressive. I wasn't aiming for birdies, just putting the ball in the right position.' It is his first win on the Asian Tour and fourth on the Korean PGA Tour, as this week's event is sanctioned with the local body. He last triumphed in Korea in 2022. The 33-year-old has played regularly on the Asian Tour since 2018, having made it through qualifying school in 2018 and this year, when he placed third. Previously, his best finish on tour came at the Shinhan Donghae Open in 2018, when he was joint fourth, and he also finished in the top five at the Singapore Open in 2019 and 2022. His 63 was two short of the course record and made a mockery of Namseoul's reputation for being one of the toughest courses on the circuit. Carved out of mountainous terrain, its undulating topography, and elevated greens, that are slick and sloping, make it a true test plus a physical challenge to walk. Fortunately, sunshine today replaced the grey skies and drizzle, from earlier in the week. Despite his brilliant come-from-behind win, Malaysia's Danny Chia still has the record for most shots gained on the last day. He came from seven behind to win the Taiwan Open in 2002 – when a typhoon played havoc with the scores. Jazz, who shared the lead at the start of the day with Baekjun Kim, was bidding to become the first overseas player to win this event in 21 years but faded on the back nine, playing it in two over. He said: 'Oh, I mean, it was so hard out there today, it was a grind fest. I mean, I tried to grind as much as I could. I didn't give up at all at any point. But it was just hard, you know, like I didn't have my best stuff out there, but overall, I think I finished up well. 'Congrats to Doyeob. I don't know how he shot eight under par today, but if it wasn't for him, I would be doing a play-off with another player right now. So overall, good.' Zimbabwe's Scott Vincent, two behind at the start of the day and like Jazz looking for his first win since 2022, was in contention for much of the day but finished poorly with a double bogey and three bogeys, carding a 75 to tie for 12th. The Asian Tour crosses the Sea of Japan next week for the International Series Japan presented by Moutai. The inaugural US$2million event is being played at Caledonian Golf Club, 8-11 May.
The Sun
04-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Opportunity knocks for Jazz and Vincent at GS Caltex Maekyung Open
THAILAND'S Jazz Janewattananond will have an outstanding opportunity to claim his first title in three years tomorrow – after he finished in share of the third-round lead at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open today. The 29-year-old, a seven-time winner on the Asian Tour and the Order of Merit champion in 2019, carded a battling three-under-par 68 here at Namseoul Country Club. He shares the lead with Baekjun Kim from Korea, who emerged from a tightly packed leaderboard brimming with talent, after firing a 66. Kim won the opening event of the season on the Korean PGA Tour last month. The leading duo are eight under for tournament – which is considered to be one of Korea' s majors and is the fifth stop of the year on the Asian Tour. Canada's Yonggu Shin (68) and Korean Hyungjoon Lee (71), the second-round leader, are one stroke back in joint third. Zimbabwe's Scott Vincent – another Asian Tour star looking for his first victory since 2022 – is a shot further back after shooting a 68. He is in solo fifth place and one ahead of Thailand's Sarit Suwannarut, who returned a 69. Jazz bravely holed a six footer for par on 18 to ensure he starts tomorrow in front. Said the Thai: 'Grinding, I hit it everywhere today. Got up and down from most places, missed out on a couple. But overall, I just feel like everything that I've done up to this point, the one thing that kind of keep me alive is scrambling, which is good, that's what you need here.' Should he win tomorrow it would also be his second significant victory in the Land of Morning Calming, having claimed the Korea Open in 2019 – the year he won on four occasions. A couple of brilliant saves were the highlight of his round. He made an incredible yet unconventional four on the par-five fourth. He found trouble left off the tee and had to take a drop; played a recovery back into the fairway; then holed his next shot from 64 yards for a birdie. Later, on the 10th he made another unexpected save. Once again he drove his ball left into trees, chipped his ball back into the fairway and scrambled a par four. He added: 'The fourth hole, oh, my god, yeah. I mean, I pulled it slightly, it wasn't a bad shot, it just got a bit unlucky, hit the path and jumped into the bush. Had to take an unplayable and then just laid up to a good distance where I know I can get there. I walked up to the ball, did my distance and then I told my caddy this is a good distance, I should have a nice, easy par putt. But then, you know, just a bit luckier than a par putt.' Vincent, the 2022 International Series Ranking champion who played the LIV Golf League the past two years, could have finished closer to the leaders but three putted the 18th. Like Jazz, his ball finished on the lower front tier of the treacherous green and he left his first putt up the steep slope short. Unlike Jazz though, he missed his par putt from 10 feet. 'Just playing the weekend is a PR for me, so that's a win,' said Vincent, who missed the cut the one and only time he played here in 2018. 'Today was great, I'm really happy. It was a tough day. I find this golf course really challenging. And yeah, just encouraged by the way that I just stayed patient and then got a few to go towards the middle of the back nine. 'And yeah, the last hole is one of those. It's one of those holes where you need a great club in, you need to hit it right on the number. You can't go long, short is better than long, but then you have got to deal with the putt. So, it's one of those, it's just golf. I get another crack at it tomorrow and we'll try to do better.' Moments earlier he'd played the shot of the day by hitting it close on the long and daunting par-four 16th. He nailed the putt for the only birdie of the day there. It was his third birdie on the trot. Richard T. Lee was well and truly in the hunt but bogeyed the last two holes. The Canadian, who won on the Korean PGA Tour last weekend, carded a 71 and is eight behind the pacesetters.
The Sun
04-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Opportunity knocks for Jazz at GS Caltex Maekyung Open
THAILAND'S Jazz Janewattananond will have an outstanding opportunity to claim his first title in three years tomorrow – after he finished in share of the third-round lead at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open today. The 29-year-old, a seven-time winner on the Asian Tour and the Order of Merit champion in 2019, carded a battling three-under-par 68 here at Namseoul Country Club. He shares the lead with Baekjun Kim from Korea, who emerged from a tightly packed leaderboard brimming with talent, after firing a 66. Kim won the opening event of the season on the Korean PGA Tour last month. The leading duo are eight under for tournament – which is considered to be one of Korea' s majors and is the fifth stop of the year on the Asian Tour. Canada's Yonggu Shin (68) and Korean Hyungjoon Lee (71), the second-round leader, are one stroke back in joint third. Zimbabwe's Scott Vincent – another Asian Tour star looking for his first victory since 2022 – is a shot further back after shooting a 68. He is in solo fifth place and one ahead of Thailand's Sarit Suwannarut, who returned a 69. Jazz bravely holed a six footer for par on 18 to ensure he starts tomorrow in front. Said the Thai: 'Grinding, I hit it everywhere today. Got up and down from most places, missed out on a couple. But overall, I just feel like everything that I've done up to this point, the one thing that kind of keep me alive is scrambling, which is good, that's what you need here.' Should he win tomorrow it would also be his second significant victory in the Land of Morning Calming, having claimed the Korea Open in 2019 – the year he won on four occasions. A couple of brilliant saves were the highlight of his round. He made an incredible yet unconventional four on the par-five fourth. He found trouble left off the tee and had to take a drop; played a recovery back into the fairway; then holed his next shot from 64 yards for a birdie. Later, on the 10th he made another unexpected save. Once again he drove his ball left into trees, chipped his ball back into the fairway and scrambled a par four. He added: 'The fourth hole, oh, my god, yeah. I mean, I pulled it slightly, it wasn't a bad shot, it just got a bit unlucky, hit the path and jumped into the bush. Had to take an unplayable and then just laid up to a good distance where I know I can get there. I walked up to the ball, did my distance and then I told my caddy this is a good distance, I should have a nice, easy par putt. But then, you know, just a bit luckier than a par putt.' Vincent, the 2022 International Series Ranking champion who played the LIV Golf League the past two years, could have finished closer to the leaders but three putted the 18th. Like Jazz, his ball finished on the lower front tier of the treacherous green and he left his first putt up the steep slope short. Unlike Jazz though, he missed his par putt from 10 feet. 'Just playing the weekend is a PR for me, so that's a win,' said Vincent, who missed the cut the one and only time he played here in 2018. 'Today was great, I'm really happy. It was a tough day. I find this golf course really challenging. And yeah, just encouraged by the way that I just stayed patient and then got a few to go towards the middle of the back nine. 'And yeah, the last hole is one of those. It's one of those holes where you need a great club in, you need to hit it right on the number. You can't go long, short is better than long, but then you have got to deal with the putt. So, it's one of those, it's just golf. I get another crack at it tomorrow and we'll try to do better.' Moments earlier he'd played the shot of the day by hitting it close on the long and daunting par-four 16th. He nailed the putt for the only birdie of the day there. It was his third birdie on the trot. Richard T. Lee was well and truly in the hunt but bogeyed the last two holes. The Canadian, who won on the Korean PGA Tour last weekend, carded a 71 and is eight behind the pacesetters.
The Sun
01-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
An leads GS Caltex Maekyung Open
Fifteen-year-old amateur star Seonghyeon An is the surprise early leader at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open, on Thursday at Namseoul Country Club in Seoul, Korea. The Korean national team player fired a first-round 5-under par 66 for the clubhouse lead on a weather effected day, when lightning and rain caused significant delays. Seventy two players were unable to complete their rounds and will return early tomorrow morning. Jaewoong Eom from Korea is in outright second place after a 67. His compatriots Baekjun Kim, Donghwan Lee, Jaeho Kim, and Yeonggyu Park are next best placed with 68s – in what is the Asian Tour's first visit of the year to Korea. An was in the second group out on tee 10 and was in the lead on four under after 11 holes before a nearly four-hour delay caused by lightning brought the event to a standstill. Played was stopped mid morning and resumed at after lunch. The delay did little to stop An's momentum. He had five birdies and dropped one shot before the break and when he returned he finished off his round with a birdie and six pars. Showing maturity beyond his years he got up and down for pars on seven and eight before narrowly missing a four-foot birdie putt on his last after another excellent chip. He said: 'It's my third appearance this year and I'm always nervous every time I come out and today was no different, but I just wanted to play my best and I think I did a good job. I want to play harder in the second round to get through qualifying and do my best in the main draw.' An has been making waves over the past few years. In 2022 he became the youngest player to make the cut on the Korean PGA Tour, when he was 13 years old and four months at the Bizplay-Electronic times Open. And last year he made history by becoming the first Korean to win The R&A Junior Open – a title won by American Patrick Reed in 2006. He was also fifth in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship last season. He admitted to drawing inspiration from this year's Master champion. 'I've been watching Rory McIlroy's grand slam recently,' he added. 'I've been thinking a lot about how I want to be like him. It's good to see that even when you fail, you keep trying and succeed.' When asked if he felt his game recently had not been his best he responded: 'My shots have been a little shaky lately. I've been struggling to get a grip. My tee shots and iron shots have not been going the way I wanted and I was missing a lot. I've been working a lot on my iron shots, and it is starting to work.' There is a long way to go before a winner is crowned on Sunday but the young maestro will attempt to become only the third amateur to win what is one of Korea's most prestigious titles. Korean amateur Kim Joo-heun triumphed in 1982, the inaugural year of the event, while Eddie Lee, an amateur from New Zealand, was victorious in 2002 – the year it was also played at Namseoul. Eom was one of only two players to go bogey free today. 'Tough day, with the weather,' said the Korean, who missed the cut here last year and later in the season made the cut in his final six events to keep his Asian Tour card, in 55th place on the Order of Merit. 'Physically very tough and a difficult golf course so I am very happy to shoot 67. It's a good score today.' Richard T. Lee from Canada, a winner last week on the Korean PGA, is in a group of players who fired a 69. Koreans Wooyoung Cho and Chanmin Jung, the winner here two years ago, are the best placed still on the course at five and four under respectively. Cho has three holes remaining and Jung four. – Asian Tour
