Yang Ji-ho wins Hana Bank Invitational in Japan

Yang Ji-ho hits a shot during the Hana Bank Invitational at Chiba Isumi Golf Club in Chiba, Japan on Sunday. [KPGA]

Yang Ji-ho won the Hana Bank Invitational, co-organized by the KPGA and Japan Golf Tour (JGTO), at Chiba Isumi Golf Club in Chiba, Japan on Sunday to claim his second KPGA title.

Yang managed a six-under-par, 67, in the last round for a final score of 20-under-par, 272, surpassing runner-up Keita Nakajima of Japan by a narrow margin of one stroke — the Chiba Isumi Golf Club is a par-73 course.

The 34-year-old competed fiercely with Nakajima until the end, swapping the frontrunner position multiple times during the last round, but Yang made two consecutive birdies in the last two holes to be crowned champion.

“I am happy that I won,” Yang said after the event. “I tried to focus as it was more like a Korea-Japan derby.

“It is fun to compete with foreign golfers and it was also great to compete in a good field. I wish I had more opportunities like this. I will work to win three or four titles with confidence from this victory.”

Sunday’s title is Yang’s second KPGA title after his first at the KB Financial Liv Championship in May last year.

First started as the Korea-China Tour KEB Invitational in 2008, which mainly included Korean and Chinese golfers, the Hana Bank Invitational was discontinued in 2010 but returned in 2018 with a much wider pool of golfers.

The Japanese golfers this year dominated, especially on the last day, as three of the top-five golfers were Japanese. This year’s tournament took place in Japan for the first time.

Jang Dong-kyu managed the second-best finish by a Korean golfer, coming in fourth with three more strokes than Yang.

Jang also had a special moment of his own on moving day, managing the second hole-in-one of his career on the par-3 11th hole.

Daijiro Izumida, who finished as runner-up in the 2019 tournament, also competed this year and tied for 26th. Seo Yo-seop, who was crowned champion that year, did not even make the cut this year, with defending champion Junseok Lee of Australia also failing to make it past Friday.

With 200 million won ($156,000) in prize money, Yang is now able to compete in both the Korea and Japan tours for the next two years.

The KPGA will continue on Thursday back in Korea with the Kolon Korea Open at the Woo Jeong Hills Country Club in Cheonan, South Chungcheong.

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