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| ▲ In this PA photo via Associated Press, An Byeong-hun of South Korea tees off on the ninth hole during the first round of the Genesis Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland, on July 13, 2023. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ In this PA photo via Associated Press, Kim Joo-hyung of South Korea watches his tee shot on the second hole during the final round of the Genesis Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland, on July 16, 2023. (Yonhap) |
PGA Tour-S Koreans
S. Korean golfers finish in top 10 in tuneup for major tournament
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, July 16 (Yonhap) -- Two South Korean players posted top-10 finishes at a final tuneup event for the upcoming major tournament in men's golf Sunday.
An Byeong-hun tied for third place at 10-under 270 at the Genesis Scottish Open in North Berwick, Scotland, on Sunday, five behind the champion, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland. Fellow Korean Kim Joo-hyung tied for sixth at nine-under.
An shot an even-par 70 in blustery conditions at the Renaissance Club, while Kim stumbled to a 73, which included a double bogey at the 18th.
The Scottish Open, co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour -- nee European Tour -- served as a prelude to the Open Championship. The fourth and final major of the season will tee off Thursday at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England.
With his top-three finish, An grabbed one of the three final spots in the Open Championship. Kim had already secured his place there.
Kim started the final round alone in second place at 12-under, one back of McIlroy and one ahead of Tommy Fleetwood of England and Brian Harman of the United States. Kim played in the final group alongside McIlroy and Fleetwood.
An began the final round at 10-under, one of five players tied for fifth place.
Kim drew even with McIlroy in first place when McIlroy bogeyed the second hole to fall to 12-under. Kim picked up his first birdie of the day at the par-5 third, where McIlroy matched the birdie as the two remained tied at the top at 13-under.
Kim bogeyed the fourth hole after going way right off the tee. On the next hole, he pulled his tee shot into thick stuff on the left but recovered to make a birdie to move back to 13-under, now with the sole possession of the lead.
After a par on the sixth, however, things unraveled for Kim with three straight bogeys. He made the turn at 10-under, three off the lead held by Tyrrell Hatton of England.
Kim made a birdie at the 13th and drained a 34-foot birdie putt at the 16th to reach 12-under. It put him two behind Robert MacIntyre of Scotland with two to play, but the fading hope was finally dashed with a bogey at the par-3 17th, where Kim missed the green long and failed to get up and down.
An held steady by going one-under on the front nine. A birdie at the 11th pushed An to 11-under, just one behind co-leaders Hatton and MacIntyre.
A bogey on the very next hole killed what little momentum An had, and a birdie at the 16th was negated by the closing bogey at the 18th.
MacIntyre eagled the 10th to jump into contention, and had three more birdies down the stretch to go four-under on the back nine and finish with the clubhouse lead at 14-under.
McIlroy, though, spoiled the party for the Scots, tying MacIntyre with a birdie at the 17th and then winning the tournament with another birdie at the 18th.
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