‘Yongho Sanggak’ Grand Prize Competition Intensifies… Park Sang-hyun vs. Ham Jung-woo from Day 1

Who will win the Genesis Grand Prize in the remaining three tournaments?

Park Sang-hyun, 40, put on a show in the first round of the Korea Professional Golf (KPGA) Korean Tour’s Baeksong Holdings – Asiad CC Busan Open (total prize money: 1 billion won) at Asiad Country Club (par 71) in Gijang-gun, Busan, on Saturday.

He carded one eagle and eight birdies without a bogey for a 10-under-par 61. It was his lowest round on the Korean Tour. The previous marks were 8-under par in the final round of the 2018 Shinhan Donghae Open and the 2022 DGB Financial Group Open.

Park got off to a good start with a birdie on the first (par-4) and continued the momentum with back-to-back birdies on the third and fourth holes. After a two on the ninth (par-5), he added a birdie and continued to hunt for birdies on the back. Back-to-back birdies on Nos. 11-12 and 15-16 gave him the lead, and he birdied the 18th (par-4) to finish at 10 under.

With his win at the Genesis Championship on Friday, Park moved into fourth place on the Order of Merit and second on the money list. If he performs well in the remaining three tournaments, including this one, he could take the top spot on the money list. After winning the Genesis Championship, Park said he will focus on the Korean Tour for the individual title.

After the first round, Park said, “Everything was good, it’s a four-letter word. I played more relaxed than trying to be too good. I think I hit it hard only on the holes with wide fairways. My shot feeling is really good right now and I came to this tournament right after winning the Genesis Championship, so I think it’s good that I trusted my instincts.”

“Today, it was shot after shot after shot, but the putts were good enough that when the putter hit the ball, I knew it was in. If I missed the tee shot, the second shot would recover, and if I missed the second shot, the short game would work, and it was a day where all three beats hit.”

“I’ve learned from a lot of experience that if you play with faith, you can get good results, so I think that’s why I was able to do well today. I’ve learned from experience that if you believe in yourself, you can do it, so I think that’s why I was able to do well today.”굿모닝토토

Genesis points leader Jung Woo Ham, 29, was also on the defensive. The South Korean carded nine birdies and one bogey to shoot an 8-under 63 and move into sole possession of second place.

Unable to cut down his stroke total, Ham showed off his feel for the game by birdieing seven straight holes from the 18th (par-4) to the back six (par-3). He added a birdie on the final hole to put himself in contention for the title.

“I didn’t play well on the front nine. But I stayed calm and waited, thinking it would be good in the second half.” “Overall, my shots went really well. While doing so, I also thought about birdieing all nine holes on the back nine. (For the previous event, the Genesis Championship) I’m competing for the Genesis Grand Prize, so I can’t play like that for the rest of the tournament. The goal is to make the cut. If you make the cut, you’re in contention for the championship, and the goal is to win.”