Lee Kyung-hoon, who was the first Korean to succeed in defending his PGA Tour title last year by unfolding a thrilling come-from-behind drama, is now challenging for a new milestone of three consecutive victories.
On the 12th (Korean time), Lee Gyeong-hoon will start the PGA Tour ‘AT&T Byron Nelson’ (total prize money 9.5 million dollars, 12.55 billion won), which opens at TPC Craig Ranch (par 72) in McKinney, Texas, USA. AT&T Byron Nelson, held at TPC Craig Ranch, is a ‘promised stage’ to him.
Lee Gyeong-hoon, who enjoyed his first victory in this tournament in 2021, three years after his PGA Tour debut in 2018, last year also tied for 6th, 4 strokes behind the lead until the 3rd round, but succeeded in defending the title with a dramatic come-from-behind victory, boasting terrifying concentration on the last day. did. He was the first Korean to win two consecutive PGA Tour tournaments, saying at the time, “I always feel comfortable when I come here, as if God is helping me.”메이저놀이터
It was not a ‘normal’ two-game losing streak. For the second year in a row, he set a new record for the most under par in 72 holes of the tournament. In 2021, the final total was 25 under par, which changed the previous record of 23 under par, and last year, it was reduced by another stroke to 26 under par.
Flow is fine too. Lee Kyung-hoon, who won two victories on the PGA Tour only in this tournament, tied for 8th at the Wells Fargo Championship, a special event that ended last week. He was tied for 20th until the 3rd round, but on the last day, he reduced 3 strokes with 3 birdies without a bogey, 3rd in the CJ Cup last October and 7th in the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January this year.
Tom Watson (USA, 1978-1980) is the only person who has succeeded in winning three consecutive titles in this tournament, which began in 1944 and boasts a long tradition on the PGA Tour. If Lee Kyung-hoon succeeds in winning his third straight title, he will set another milestone by standing shoulder to shoulder with the legend Watson.
This tournament is not a special event, but quite a few top stars such as world number two Scotty Scheffler, last year’s runner-up Jordan Spieth (USA), and the first Asian Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) will participate. In Korea, a total of eight players will participate, including Kyung-hoon Lee, Bae Sang-moon and Kang Seong-hoon, who won the championship in 2013 and 2019, respectively, as well as Kim Joo-hyung, Kim Si-woo, Ahn Byung-hoon, Kim Seong-hyun, and Noh Seung-yeol. Korea has produced winners in the last three tournaments in a row, from Kang Seong-hoon in 2019 to Lee Gyeong-hoon last year, except for 2020, which was canceled due to Corona 19.