Seoul, May 22, 2010: Kim Dae-hyun closed in on a second straight OneAsia title after shooting a six-under-par 66 to retain a three-shot lead over fellow Korean Bae Sang-moon going into the final round of the SK Telecom Open.The big-hitting Kim, 22, is 20-under after three rounds at the Sky 72 Golf Club and poised for another fierce duel with the 23-year-old Bae, who carded a bogey-free 66 as he fights to regain the title he won in 2007 at a different venue.
Korean legend K.J. Choi, the winner in 2003, 2005 and 2008, moved to 13-under after carding a 67 at the 7,241-yard Ocean Course.
Japan Tour star Kim Kyung-tae, the world’s third-highest ranked Korean, is fourth on 12-under after equalling the course record of 64. Australian Andrew Tschudin posted a 69 to share fifth on 11-under with Hwang Jae-min, who had a 67.
After two bogey-free rounds, Kim Dae-hyun shot eight birdies – including on three of the par-fives – and two bogeys as he fought to hold off a determined Bae.
Bae drew within one shot on three occasions, but each time Kim fired back with a birdie on the following hole to regain a two-stroke buffer.
However, the Korean Tour’s biggest hitter admitted his birdie on the par-five 18th, which Bae parred, was his most important of the day.
“I knew I needed to birdie 18 because there’s a big difference between being two ahead or three ahead. Also, if he birdied and I didn’t, he could have been just one behind, so I was very happy to finish like that,” said Kim.
“I’ll just play my usual game tomorrow. I don’t get nervous,” added the slim six-footer, who won OneAsia's GS Caltex Maekyung Open two weeks ago with an 18-under total.
Bae picked up shots on holes one, four, five, six and eight, but only birdied the 14th on the more testing back nine.
A big hitter in his own right, Bae remained confident of his own chances, especially if the weather on Sunday matches the rain that fell at the end of Saturday’s play.
“I play well in bad weather. I like rain,” laughed Bae, winner of the last two Korean Tour Order of Merit titles.
“I think I need to aim at 23-under or 24-under to win. Dae-hyun hits the ball so long, but I think I know how to beat him. It’s a secret,” he smiled.
Choi, who turned 40 on Wednesday, bogeyed the first hole but the seven-time PGA Tour winner bounced back with six birdies to ensure he’ll again be grouped with his young compatriots in the final flight on Sunday.
Kim Kyung-tae, runner-up to Kim Dae-hyun two weeks ago, shot out of the blocks with four straight birdies from the second and added two more at seven and nine to go out in 30.
The 23-year-old bogeyed the par-three 12th, but added three more birdies on his way in to equal the course record set by Choi two years ago and equalled by Kim Dae-hyun on Friday.
“It’s strange, as I hit the ball better in the first and second rounds, but didn’t putt well,” he said in reference to successive rounds of 70.
“Today, my irons were ‘so-so’, but I putted better and holed two or three long ones. However, I’m not sure I really have much chance of winning,” added Kim, who had four runner-up finishes on last year’s Japan Tour.
Full coverage of this week’s SK Telecom Open is available domestically on Korean
broadcaster Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS), as well as internationally on ESPN Star Sports, ESPN3.com, Network Ten, America One and Bloomberg Television among others.
Since it was launched last year, OneAsia’s tournament schedule has more than doubled in size, offering a multitude of full-field playing opportunities to leading players across the region. In 2010, OneAsia will stage 11 tournaments, ultimately seeking to provide players in Asia with an alternative pathway to the PGA Tour and the European Tour.
SK Telecom Open, OneAsia
Leading third-round scores (par 72)
196 – Kim Dae-hyun (KOR) 66-64-66
199 – Bae Sang-moon (KOR) 68-65-66
203 – K.J. Choi (KOR) 70-66-67
204 – Kim Kyung-tae (KOR) 70-70-64
205 – Hwang Jae-min (KOR) 66-72-67, Andrew Tschudin (AUS) 68-68-69
206 – Jung Sung-han (KOR) 69-69-68, Kim Do-hoon 752 (KOR) 67-71-68
207 – Michael Hendry (NZL) 70-69-68, John Huh (USA) 74-65-68
208 – Lee Seong-ho (KOR) 66-72-70
209 – Scott Arnold (AUS) 73-68-68, Park Sang-hyun (KOR) 70-70-69, Lee Boo-young (KOR) 69-70-70, Choi Jin-ho (KOR) 69-70-70, Simon Yates (SCO) 68-69-72
210 – Bang Doo-hwan (KOR) 73-69-68, Cho Byung-min (KOR) 72-70-68, Kevin Na (USA) 70-71-69, Maeng Dong-seop (KOR) 71-69-70, Brad Kennedy (AUS) 66-73-71, Cho Byung-min (KOR) 72-70-68, Jung Ji-ho (KOR) 71-71-68, Henry Epstein (AUS) 66-72-72
211 – Kang Min-sung (KOR) 71-70-70, Mo Joong-kyung (KOR) 71-70-70, Anthony Summers (AUS) 69-70-72, Lee Tae-kyu (KOR) 72-67-72, Kim Hyung-sung (KOR) 71-68-72, Lee Yong-hun (KOR) 69-68-74, Ashley Hall (AUS) 69-73-69
ENDS
About OneAsia
OneAsia is a non-profit organisation developed to maximize elite tournament opportunities in Asia-Pacific. The Founding members of OneAsia are the China Golf Association, the Korea Golf Tour, the Korea Golf Association and the PGA of Australia. The mission of OneAsia is not just to allow the region's best players to gain access to more events, but to ultimately provide them with an alternative pathway to the PGA Tour and the European Tour, thus retaining the best golfing talent in the region without compromising their development.
For more information, please contact:
Janice Lee Fang
PR & Media Manager - OneAsia
DID: +65 6236 0362
Mobile: +65 8268 8155
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