The 'Icon of Patience' Lee Dae-han, 'From 15 Years to Two Wins in 23 Months'... Inaugural Champion at the Amazingly Open with Career-Second Victory [KPGA]

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'The Icon of Patience' Lee Dae-han (36, L&C Bio) was crowned the inaugural champion at the Amazingly Open (total prize money of 700 million won), a newly established event on the Korea Professional Golf (KPGA) Tour.

Lee Dae-han recorded four under par, 66, in the final fourth round of the tournament held on the 11th at Flamingo Country Club (Par 70) in Dangjin, Chungnam, combining five birdies and one bogey.

With a final total of 18 under par, 262, Lee Dae-han claimed the top spot by defeating Brandon Kewalramani (USA, 17 under par, 263) by one stroke. This marked his second career victory, coming 23 months after his first win on the KPGA Tour in November 2024.

Lee Dae-han, who joined the tour professionals in September 2009, remained without a title for a full 15 years. He was an obscure player whose best season prize money ranking was only 46th (in 2019), but after finishing as runner-up at the KPGA Championship in June 2024, he experienced the thrill of his first victory at the KPGA Tour Championship in November.

Despite achieving his first win, he left regrets last year as well. His best finish was a tie for fifth, and he managed only two top-10 finishes.

A major turnaround did not seem likely this season either. In the 13th tournaments he had previously entered, he failed to make a top-10 finish even once. However, he showed a completely different side at this event.

Lee Dae-han started in a tie for ninth with three under par in the first round. He cut another three strokes in the second round to climb four spots and reach a tie for fifth. His performance in the latter rounds was dominant. In the third round, he collected eight birdies without a single bogey to leap to a tie for first, setting him up to face the fourth round in the championship group.

His high-precision iron shots shone. After easily securing birdies on the No. 2 hole (Par 5) and No. 5 hole (Par 4) in the first round, Lee Dae-han shaved another stroke on the final front-nine hole, the No. 9 (Par 4).

Lee Dae-han, who made a bogey on the first back-nine hole, the No. 10 (Par 4), after failing to land his second shot on the green, roared in triumph after sinking a 6.3-meter birdie putt on the No. 13 hole (Par 3) and successfully converting a 5.7-meter birdie putt on the No. 14 hole (Par 4).

Taking the lead by one stroke into the No. 18 hole (Par 5), Lee Dae-han secured his victory by calmly holding par after landing his third shot on the green, while Kewalramani recorded par.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original