“A Glorious Championship Ending”: Song Min-hyuk Tops Asian Tour’s Philippine Open by 7 Strokes… Wraps Up Season with Second Victory

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Song Min-hyuk (22, Dong-A Pharmaceutical) achieved his second victory of the season at the 2026 Asian Tour finale, the “Philippine Open” (total prize money: $1 million), with an overwhelming performance that secured a seven-stroke lead.

On the 15th, in the final round of the Asian Tour “Philippine Open” held at Manila Southwoods G&CC (Par 70, 7,138 yards) in Manila, Philippines, Song Min-hyuk recorded even par with two birdies and one double bogey. With a total score of 15 under par, 265 strokes, Song Min-hyuk comfortably pulled ahead of the second-place group by seven strokes to lift the championship trophy.

On the second day of the tournament, Song Min-hyuk shot 10 under par in a single day, including a hole-in-one on the 17th hole (Par 3), recording a score of 60 to immediately take the lead. On the third day as well, Song Min-hyuk shot 65, reducing his score by five strokes, significantly widening the gap with second place and solidifying his solo lead.

On the final day, Song Min-hyuk maintained the gap by securing two birdies through the 12th hole (Par 4). Although he committed a double bogey on the 15th hole (Par 4), he displayed stable performance without wavering until the end to complete his victory. In the Philippine Open, established in 1913, Song Min-hyuk is only the second Korean player to win, following Kim Seung-hak in 1973.

With this victory, Song Min-hyuk added a title approximately six months after his first career win at the “45th GS Caltex Maeil Business Newspaper (MK) Open,” co-hosted with the Asian Tour in early May of this year, achieving two career victories.

After winning, Song Min-hyuk said, “I started to think I could win after shooting 60 in the second round. Thanks to the large stroke difference, I was able to play the final round a bit more comfortably.”

He continued, “Honestly, I didn’t expect to get my first win so early this year. By decorating both my first victory and the season’s final tournament with wins, 2026 seems like it will be the best and most memorable year for me,” he shared his impressions.

Song Min-hyuk, who passed the KPGA Tour QT as the top qualifier and debuted on the KPGA Tour in 2024, received the Myeongchul Award (Rookie of the Year) that year. He achieved his first career victory at the “45th GS Caltex Maeil Business Newspaper Open” last May, securing an Asian Tour seed. In the 2026 KPGA Tour season, which ended last week, Song Min-hyuk ranked fourth in both Genesis Points and prize money standings, experiencing a “career high” season since his professional debut. By adding this victory at the final Asian Tour event, he has made 2026 his best year yet.

Meanwhile, other Korean players also shone at this tournament. Jeong Jae-hyeon (21), who claimed his first career win at last week’s KPGA Tour season finale, the “KPGA Tour Championship in Jeju”; Wang Jeong-hoon (31), winner of the 2026 KPGA Myeongchul Award (Rookie of the Year); Ham Jung-woo (32, Hana Financial Group), who was aiming for his second Asian Tour win following the “Singapore Open” in April this year; and Kim Min-gyu (25, Korean Golf Club)—four Korean players finished tied for second place with a total score of 8 under par, 272 strokes.

This year, KPGA Tour players combined for three victories at Asian Tours held overseas. Following Cho Woo-young’s win at the Asian Tour opener, the “Philippine Golf Championship” in February, Ham Jung-woo recorded a victory at the Asian Tour International Series “Singapore Open” in April. With Song Min-hyuk’s final event win this time, Korean players have swept both the opening and closing events of this season’s Asian Tour, once again proving the strong competitiveness of the KPGA Tour.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original