After '2,891 days of waiting,' he stands before the championship once again. Kwon Sung-yeol said, "The more desperate I was, the less it worked. I am satisfied with playing healthily." [Chuncheon Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

It took 11 years and 7 months, precisely 2,891 days, since his first victory. Kwon Seong-yeol (40) is trying to maintain his composure while suppressing his excitement. Having confirmed that there is nothing wrong with his body, he is resolved to perform as he always has with confidence.

Kwon Seong-yeol shot a 7-under-par 65 in the third round of the 21st DB Insurance Pro-Mi Open, the opening event of the 2026 KPGA Tour, held on the 18th at Chuncheon LaViebell Golf & Resort (par 72, 7,254 yards), without a single bogey, recording one eagle and five birdies.

Kwon Sung-yeol, who recorded a 19-under-par 197 at the halfway point, maintained a firm sole lead by two strokes over second-place Lee Sang-yeop (32), who finished with a 17-under-par 199.

It took five years from his debut on the 2013 KPGA Tour to secure a victory. Kwon Seong-yeol, who experienced the thrill of his first win at the May 2018 SK Telecom Open, managed to finish as runner-up once the following year but failed to establish an image as a top-tier golfer.

In particular, last year, he failed to make the top 10 even once, making the cut only five times out of 17 tournaments, ultimately dropping to 90th on the prize money list and barely surviving by securing his regular tour entry through the Qualifying Tournament (QT).

A series of minor and major injuries occurred, and doubts arose about his own physical condition. Since his body was not healthy, he even began to question whether the methods he had persisted with were correct.

However, this time he prepared differently and entered the season with a healthier body. He took the lead outright from the second round, and today, from the first half, he showcased sharp putts and precise iron shots, moving one step closer to victory.

After the round, Kwon Sung-yeol, who met with StarNews, expressed great satisfaction with his bogey-free play, noting that he made birdies faster than expected in the early stages and felt no anxiety. He added that he found a stable rhythm and finished well, saying, "My putting was good and my shots were steady. My mindset was also steady."

There is nothing special about the final round. "I will certainly control my emotions. I will prepare until tomorrow, but since I have been in this field for 15 years, I wonder if I should feel unnecessary tension. "He conveyed that "he plans to play as if he is nervous or trembling, "knowing that good results will come if he simply does what he can.

Although it has been nearly 3,000 days of waiting, he believes that desperation can become a poison. Kwon Seong-yeol explained, "The more desperate I was, the less things went well. The more desperate I became, the more greed arose, and injuries followed. Now I have realized that this leads to things going in the opposite direction, so I am not letting greed take over and am simply striving to do what I can."

There was some anxiety until the opening game. "On social media, when I look at the players, I sometimes feel like I'm the only one not practicing."At the same time, "my results have proven that I have been sticking to my own routine and preparing well, so I believe my approach is correct and I will continue moving forward."He expressed such confidence.

He expressed great satisfaction with his physical condition. "Although it is the opening match, I am very satisfied that I have been playing healthily through the third round," he said, adding, "Unlike in my younger days, I am now fighting against injuries, so I am extremely satisfied that I have been playing healthily up to this point. I am fully satisfied that I can swing as I wish and that my performance is fully coming out from there."

He expects that they need to reduce their score by about five strokes in the final round. Kwon Seong-yeol said, "The players have all sharpened their swords," and added, "They should at least shoot around 24. If they do, I think they will be safely in the contention for the title," expressing his expectations.

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*This content was translated by AI.