Bae too good at SK Telekom Open
BY Bruce Young | OneAsia Tour | 2010 SK Telecom Open | Round Four | 23 May 2010
A final round of 67 has seen 23 year old Korean Bae Sang-moon overtake third round leader Kim Dae-hyun to win the One Asia Tour’s SK Telekom Open at the Sky 72 Ocean Course in Incheon near Seoul in South Korea.
Bae, who won this event as a 20 year old in 2007, is one of the longest hitting golfers in Asian golf and today he overpowered yet another long hitter in Kim. Kim led by three heading into the final day and although he started shakily with two early bogeys he recovered and by the 5th hole his three shot cushion was back.
By the time Kim stood on the 9th tee however a dramatic turn had come over the tournament. Kim’s double bogey at the 7th and bogey at the 8th were met with birdies at the 6th and 7th by Bae and Bae had enjoyed a four shot swing in three holes. As they made the turn Bae led by one over Kim with pre tournament favourite K.J. Choi one shot further back.
Bae soon put the issue beyond doubt with four birdies in the first six holes of his back nine and Kim just could not match him. He won by three over Kim with a further shot back to Choi.
In 2008 and 2009 Bae was the winner of the Kolon Hana Bank Korea Open and in 2009 also won the Caltex Maekyung Open.
Despite not winning, Kim moves into second position on the 2010 One Asia Order of Merit.
New Zealander Mike Hendry was the leading Australasian following up his victory in last week’s Charles Tour Muriwai Open in his hometown of Auckland with a 5th place finish this week to earn what is likely his biggest cheque in tournament golf US$29,436
Andrew Tschudin had a good week when 7th, while Michael Wright (14th) and Henry Epstein (18th) rounded out the Australasians inside the top 20.
Scott Arnold the leading Australasian on this year’s One Asia Tour money list finished 24th after dropping five shots in his last six holes today. Arnold slipped one position to 15th on the order of Merit.
The One Asia Tour now has a five week break before the Indonesian Open in Jakarta.
