Bio Kim from Korea finally added another important trophy to his impressive collection of titles when he claimed the KRW 1,200,000,000 41st GS Caltex Maekyung Open at Namseoul Country Club today (Sunday) for the first of what could be many Asian Tour victories.
Dubai-based MG Keyser (RSA) shot a final round level par 71, with two bogeys and two birdies and 14 pars, to finish in tied 43rd place.
MG now lies 28th in the Asian Tour’s 2022 Order of Merit having played in six qualifying events.
Bio Kim was always the hot favourite coming into the week thanks to a purple patch that stretches back to the end of last year, he carded a battling final round one over par 72 to win on nine under, by two from Korean Mingyu Cho, who shot a 70, on a day when organisers estimated 8,000 fans attended.
Moon third
Korean Kyongjun Moon, winner of this event in 2015, finished third after shooting a 67.
Last season’s Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Joohyung Kim from Korea, closed with a 70 to end in joint fifth place.
It is the second time Bio Kim has won the tournament, which is one of the jewels in the crown of tournament golf in Korea, along with the Korea Open, although when he triumphed in 2012, it was not part of the Asian Tour.
Cho joined Bio Kim tied for the lead on nine under after seven holes after he birdied four, six and seven, while Bio made bogey on six. But Cho bogeyed hole eight to slip one back before Bio reached the par-five ninth with two fine shots and birdied the hole to move two ahead of Cho.
Cho’s chances were then shot to pieces when Korean Golf Officials gave him a two stroke penalty on the ninth for standing on the hole’s second green when playing his third. He was informed he should have taken a drop.
It meant Bio was able to cruise home unchallenged on the back nine.
He earned a cheque for $255,536 and moved into second place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit with winnings of $402, 986. American Sihwan Kim remains in top spot, despite missing the cut.
Bio Kim’s victory once again reflected his affinity for Namseoul, which began when he tied for fourth in the event in 2007 before claiming equal third the following year, remarkably on both occasions he was still an amateur. He has also posted five other top five finishes in addition to his success a decade ago and becomes the sixth dual winner of the event; no player has won it three times.
Asian Tour
A professional since 2009 he only became a member of the Asian Tour after graduating from the Qualifying School in 2020, where he tied fifth, just before the pandemic hit.
And his performances since the Asian Tour’s restart at the end of last year have been the talk of the Tour. Since last November he has posted seven top 10s in nine events, including five top five results. Tied second place at the Laguna Phuket Championship in 2021 had been his best finish before today’s breakthrough.
The Asian Tour heads to Japan next week for the Asia Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup at Oarai Golf Club, from May 12th – 15th.
M. Cho (South Korea) 69. 70. 68. 70. 277.
K. Moon (South Korea) 69. 71. 71. 67. 278.
J. Yang (South Korea) 69. 67. 71. 72. 279.
Jaeho Kim (South Korea) 72. 71. 69. 68. 280.
T. Ok (South Korea) 69. 73. 69. 69. 280.
Joohyung Kim (South Korea) 70. 68. 72. 70. 280.
