Baek Seok-hyeon (32), nicknamed “100% (Pro),” won the Korea Professional Golf (KPGA) Korean Tour SK Telecom Open at the Pinx GC (par 71) in Seogwipo, Jeju on the 21st. He recorded a wire-to-wire victory over Lee Tae-hoon by one stroke with a final round 2 under par 69 strokes and a total of 13 under par. It is the first division tour victory won in 15 years after becoming a pro at the age of 17.
The road to victory was not easy. Baek Seok-hyun, born in Incheon in 1990, moved to Thailand in middle school and became a pro in 2008. He ranked 9th in the Asian Tour money list in 2013, and in 2014, he competed for the championship with former world No. 1 Cameron Smith and Anirvan Lahiri at the Indonesian Masters and reached 2nd place.
However, it fell into a slump after that. Prior to his public service, his weight had risen to 140 kg. He is said to have lost 62 kg during his public service duties in 2019. He has grown a bit now. Baek Seok-hyun said, “It’s a style to relieve stress by eating during the season, so it’s a bit steamy. He hasn’t weighed himself in the past three months, he weighed 95kg last time.”
Baek Seok-hyun, who experienced his first win in two years after moving the stage to the Korean Tour in 2021, said, “I am so happy. I am grateful to his parents, mother-in-law and father-in-law, and also to his wife. He will be a great husband,” she said with tears in her eyes.
Seok-Hyun Baek led by two strokes until the 16th hole, but hit a tee shot into the deep rough with a topping at the 17th hole. Chaser Lee Tae-hoon also bogeyed and maintained a two-stroke gap. Baek Seok-hyeon’s tee shot on the last hole flew to the right and fell into the water. Baek Seok-hyeon said, “It was a windy situation, so I thought I would be able to go comfortably if I hit the 3-wood and the middle iron for the second shot, but I didn’t want to back down, so hitting the driver made a mistake.”
He received a penalty and his third shot went over the green and landed in a bunker. He also had a formidable downhill bunker shot. However, Seok-Hyun Baek finished with a bunker shot 50 cm next to the pin and won. Baek Seok-hyun said, “The bunker shot was the best in my life. Even if I asked him to do it again, he would never do that.”
Baek Seok-hyun made a ‘no look’ putt in this tournament by looking at the hole instead of the ball. Jordan Spieth, the world’s No. 1 player, also uses this method occasionally. Sergio Garcia won the 2020 PGA Tour Sanderson Farms Championship by putting with his eyes closed. Baek Seok-hyun said, “After returning to Korea, I suffered from putt anxiety. He made up his mind to putt without looking at the ball as a prescription.”
Great. On the first day, he hit 9 under par and took the lead alone. On the final day of increased stress, he looked and didn’t look at the ball and went back and forth. Baek Seok-hyeon said, “I made a par save with a no-look putt on holes 1 through 3, and I was able to find stability by making an eagle on hole 4.” He says he saw the ball when he was too nervous or when it was a downhill putt.
Baek Seok-hyun said, “I had to hit 7-8 under par today, but I couldn’t putt, so I ended up with 2 under par.” The final putt, where the tension reached its peak, was a no-look putt. “My hands were shaking and I couldn’t see anything. I only looked at my hand and putt, but it went in.”메이저놀이터
Baek Seok-hyun received 260 million won in prize money and secured a Korean Tour seed until 2027. Last year’s winner Kim Bio tied for third at 10 under par. Choi Ho-seong, who started as the joint leader, lost 4 strokes and was pushed back to 7-under par for 11th place. Choi Gyeong-ju, the co-executive chairman of the tournament, ended the tournament with a 5-under par for 19th place. This competition drew attention for relaying using AI.
On the same day, at the Korea Women’s Professional Golf (KLPGA) Tour Doosan Match Play Championship held at Ladena Golf Course in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, Seong Yu-jin (23) defeated Park Hyeon-gyeong (23), a friend of the same age born in 2000, in the final match with a 4&3 (3 holes left and a difference of 4 holes). defeated It is the second win in his career since his debut in 2019.