Jung Chan-min takes debut KPGA title at GS Caltex Maekyung Open

Jung Chan-min hits a shot during the 42nd GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship at Namseoul Country Club in Seongnam, Gyeonggi on Saturday. [YONHAP]

Jung Chan-min won the 42nd GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship at Namseoul Country Club in Seongnam, Gyeonggi on Sunday, beating a competitive field of golfers from Korea across Asia to claim his first ever KPGA title.

The Maekyung Open is considered a major-level tournament that has seen prominent Korean and foreign golfers competing since 1982.

Jung stood out from the 144-strong field from, opening day, taking the frontrunner position with an eight-under-par, 63, and retaining it the next day with a three-under-par, 68.

He could not ride that momentum the following day as the Korea Golf Association cancelled the third round due to heavy rain on Saturday and reduced it to a 54-hole stroke play.

Jung’s dominance, however, continued on Sunday, managing a bogey-free five-under-par, 66, with one eagle and three birdies for a final score of 16-under-par, 197, to be crowned champion.

The 23-year-old’s performance was incomparable, surpassing second-place Song Min-hyuk by a huge margin of six strokes in the end.

Having debuted on the KPGA tour last year, Jung also secured a five-year KPGA Tour card as well as two-year Asian Tour card with 300 million won ($224,000) in prize money.

Nitithorn Thippong of Thailand managed the best finish by a non-Korean golfer, coming in tied for 11th with a six-under-par, 207.

Meanwhile, defending champion Kim Bio tied for sixth with eight-under-par, 205.

Two-time champion Park Sang-hyun — winner in 2016 and 2018 — who joined the field after finishing third at the DP World Tour’s Korea Championship Presented by Genesis on April 30, came in tied for 20th with an uninspiring four-under-par, 209

The KPGA Tour will continue with the Woori Financial Group Championship set to take place at Ferrum Club in Yeoju, Gyeonggi on Thursday.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]