Korean prodigy takes out Singapore International

Highly promising Korean teenage golfer Kim Joo-hyung won the $US1 million Singapore International at Tanah Merah Country Club last month.

Kim, 19, won after a gripping sudden-death play-off against Rattanon Wannasrichan when he holed a pressure-packed 14-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole, on the Tampines Course’s daunting par-five 18th, before Rattanon missed his birdie attempt from eight feet.

The victory saw Kim earned a cheque for $US180,000.

Kim and Rattanon, playing together in the final pairing, finished the tournament tied on four-under, after Kim closed with a 70 and Rattanon 72.

Thai amateur Ratchanon Chantananuwat, aged just 14, was in contention for much of the day, making it a battle of the teenagers. He took sole possession of third when he returned a 69 to finish two shots shy of the play-off.

For the fourth day in a row, strong winds swept the Tampines Course. Only the top three bettered par over 72 holes, testament to the difficulty of the Tanah Merah venue.

Showing maturity beyond his years, Kim handled conditions impressively to capture his second Asian Tour title, following his win in the 2019 Panasonic Open in India.

Asked which win was the hardest, he said: “Has to be this one. Just because it’s a tough golf course. All the players played their hearts out. I’m very lucky to be on top. It was a grind today. I think it was a lot harder than the first one.”

Kim looked to be on course to take the title in more comfortable fashion and held a one-shot lead playing the final hole in normal time. But Rattanon made an eight-foot birdie putt after a brilliant chip from behind the green while the Korean took two to get out of the greenside bunker, after a difficult lie for his third, before making a tense par putt from three feet to force the tournament into a sudden-death play-off.

It was a remarkable turn of events as the Korean had been two ahead with two holes to play but found trouble with his second shot on 17. He pushed his approach right into a penalty area next to a lake, took a drop, chipped to 15 feet and bravely made the putt for bogey.

“To be honest, I was walking down the fairway on that shot [on 17], to that pin. I thought I had this under control and just didn’t play safe enough,” said Kim.

“I played aggressive the whole day and I felt like sticking to the game plan was the right choice. I took the longer club and just got lazy on it, leaked it right but had a great up and down. I just told myself to give myself a chance … and it worked out