Kilmarnock, Scotland: Lee Hyo-song and An Seong-hyeon pulled off a stunning double success for Korea at The R&A Junior Open.
While Lee completed a comprehensive wire-to-wire win in the Girls’ championship, An produced a memorable come-from-behind victory in the Boys’ segment.
Eight strokes clear at the top after 36 holes, Lee closed with an even-par 72 at Kilmarnock (Barassie), only a few miles down the coast from Royal Troon where The 152nd Open tees-off tomorrow.
Her nine-under 207 aggregate was eight strokes ahead of Japan’s Anna Iwanaga, the runner-up.
There were top-10 finishes for four other Asian players – Thailand’s Prim Prachnakorn (tied fourth, 217), China’s Ren Yijie (seventh, 221), Reese Allyson Ng of the Philippines (eighth, 222) and Singapore’s Chen Xingtong (ninth, 223).
Meanwhile, An ran out a four-shot winner over a quartet of players with a six-under 210 aggregate. Cooper Moore of New Zealand, Sweden’s Edwin Sjodin, English player Alex Boyes and 36-hole leader Aidan Lawson of Scotland shared second place on two-under.
The victors will look to go on and emulate former winners Patrick Reed (2006) and Moriya Jutanugarn (2008) by claiming titles in the professional game.
Not only is it the first time a Korean name has appeared on the Junior Open trophy since its inception 24 years ago, but for Koreans to sweep both titles in the first year The R&A has crowned separate boys and girls champions is a major achievement. Previously the Junior Open was a combined Championship.
“There are many good tournaments in Korea and a lot of good players, but for two young players to come here and win is very important for Korean golf,” said Korean coach Kim Hyung-tae.
“Both players want to go on to play on the PGA and LPGA Tours, so for them to win this important trophy playing links golf for the first time is great for their learning experience. For them to play a links golf course for the first time and win is a big thing for them.”
Lee’s calibre was obvious from the outset. She began the Championship as the seventh best player on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), the highest ranked player in the field, girl or boy.
She already owns a professional title, winning the World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup on the Japan LPGA Tour in May. At 15 years and 176 days old, she became the youngest winner in the history of Japanese women’s professional golf.
She finished tied third in the 2022 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) championship at Thailand’s Siam Country Club when aged 13. At the same venue, she placed runner-up at this year’s staging in February.
At Barassie, it wasn’t a matter of if Lee would win the Girls’ tournament, but by how many strokes. She began with an eight-shot lead and was able to sign for level par and enjoy the final round.
“I have had many good wins but this is maybe my most important amateur win,” Lee said. “I wanted to win this tournament because it’s for the best juniors in the world – and I wanted to be the best junior. I’m happy to win this for Korea.
“I’m happy for myself, too, because it’s my first time playing this type of course. It means I can adapt my game to (links) conditions like this and I did it very quickly. I got more confident day-by-day because I was nervous in the first round.”
An, a modest 671st in the WAGR, had to work a lot harder to claim his victory. He started the final round one shot behind Lawson, but played better golf than the home player in the final round. He returned a four-under 68 to Lawson’s 73.
An improved each round, scoring 73, 69 and 68. “It’s my first time in Scotland, so my first time playing this type of golf,” said An, who tied 48th on his Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship debut last year at Royal Melbourne.
“I didn’t know what to expect before I came here but after my practice round I got more confident each day. My course management got better with each round. I started the first day hitting a lot of two-irons for safety but today I hit driver a lot because I learned more about the course each day. It means a lot to me to win on a course like this and to win this important Championship.”
Lee would have taken the individual trophy under the previous combined format because she finished three shots better than her compatriot.
“We were joking before we came here about who was going to play better and who was going to become winner,” Lee said. “So, for me to finish three shots better than him is fun for me. He’s my colleague but I’m happy to beat him this week.”
Indian Kartik Singh – joint second with An after two rounds – was disappointed to sign off with a 74 that saw him drop to sixth place on 216.
Of the other Asia-Pacific representatives in the top-20, Singapore’s Troy Storm ended ninth on 220 followed by Shinichi Suzuki of the Philippines (11th, 223), Thai Teerawut Boonseeor (12th, 225), China’s Gu Liangliang and Chinese Taipei’s Kuo Shi-chi (joint 13th, 227) and Jordan’s Mohammed Alrawashdeh (joint 19th, 229).
The Junior Open championship came under The R&A’s umbrella in 2000, having been founded in 1994.
The biennial event, to which all golfing nations affiliated to The R&A are invited to enter their best under-16 boy and girl golfers, is closely linked to The Open and is always played on a nearby course.
