Incheon, Korea, September 16: Sanghyun Park of Korea stamped his authority as he shot a magnificent eight-under-par 63 to claim a wire-to-wire victory at the KR₩1,200,000,000 (approximately US$1,000,000) 34th Shinhan Donghae Open on Sunday.

The 35-year-old Park won his second Asian Tour title following his dominant five-shot triumph at the Bear’s Best Cheongna Golf Club in Incheon, Korea.

Park started the final round with a slim one-shot lead, but he pulled away from the rest of the field after scoring six birdies on his front nine. Even with a five-shot lead at the turn, Park continued to dictate proceedings as he marked another two birdies on his scorecard before signing for 22-under-par 262 total.

The Korean set a new tournament record for the lowest winning gross score. Jiman Kang and Gaganjeet Bhullar, champions in 2006 and 2016 respectively, jointly held the previous record of 269.

Park also beat the record for lowest winning to-par score of 19-under-par, set by Kang.

Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent posted his eighth top-10 finish on the Asian Tour this season after a carding a 66 to land in lone second place.

He crept up to Park towards the end of the round after sinking three consecutive birdies from holes 13 to 15, but his tournament unravelled after his approach at the 16th found the water, resulting in a double bogey.

Nick Voke, playing on a sponsor’s invitation, traded eight birdies against two bogeys en route to a 65 to finish commendably in third place.

Travis Smyth of Australia displayed plenty of promise as he notched his first top-10 on the Asian Tour. He finished seventh after a carding a final-round 70.

Did you know:

• Sanghyun Park is the third golfer after United States’ John Catlin and South Africa’s Justin Harding to win two times on the Asian Tour this season. Park was also victorious at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open earlier this year.
• He made 20 putts in round four.
• His win at the 34th Shinhan Donghae Open is the first wire-to-wire victory on the Asian Tour in 2018.
• This is Park’s third win in Korea this year. He has also won the 2018 KEB Invitation, an event on the Korean PGA (KPGA).
• Park has risen to second place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings behind India’s Shubhankar Sharma.
• Scott Vincent earned his first Asian Tour card in 2016 via Qualifying School.
• In his rookie year on Tour, he posted two top-10s, including a tied-second finish at the Shinhan Donghae Open. Vincent went on to finish 28th on the Order of Merit to retain his card for the 2017 season.
• In 2017, he claimed four top-10s to finish in 17th place on the Order of Merit.
• Travis Smyth turned professional in November 2017
• He made it to the weekend rounds at his last five starts on the Asian Tour.

Player’s Quotes:

Sanghyun Park (Kor) – Final round 63 (-8), total 262 (-22)

I thought that this course is difficult and I didn’t think that I’d score. So, I thought my game was mad. I’m very happy and satisfied.

On breaking the records, it seems that I can do these kinds of impossible things. I’m happy and excited.

I thought my shoulder and neck were stiff in the morning. I stretched a lot, and I tried to warm up more at the range. I was worried when I went on the course.

However, I thought that I had to play my own game and told myself to focus. I did not have any idea that I’d win. Byeonghun and Vincent were catching up in the latter half, but I tried to keep my focused over 18 holes.

It was only after 16, when I started on the 17 when I was confident of winning the tournament. There was a five-shot cushion at that time.

I remember all eight birdies but if I have to pick one, I will choose the seventh. It was a bunker shot that went in. That changed the atmosphere of the game.

I want to go into the WGC-HSBC Champions and CIMB Classic to increase my ranking. Even the CJ Cup as well. Those are my goals. After winning today, these tournaments are well within my reach. I’m also looking at winning the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings as well.

I will be putting more priority on the Asian Tour and I will adjust my schedule to attend the events.

These days, if I’m in the champion’s group, I’m not anxious. I feel that I can dominate the game. That’s where I feel I’ve grown over the past few years.

Scott Vincent (Zim) – Final round 66 (-5), total 267 (-17)

I put him under pressure, but he (Sanghyun Park) was just too good today. All credit to him and there was not much more I could have done. I’m happy with how I did.

After the turn, it was now or never. I knew I needed to get something to happen. I got three birdies and it was looking good. He was able to save a couple of shots that could have gone either way. A disaster at hole 16 that closed the door on any chances.

I was trying to play the ball into the middle of the green and give myself a chance. From the backswing, I felt that I could go a little closer and changed what I wanted to do. I hit it into the water and suffered.

I have an excellent record here at the Shinhan Donghae Open (tied-second in 2016 and tied-third in 2017) and I can’t wait to be back.

Travis Smyth (Aus) – Final round 70 (-1), total 272 (-12)

Today was a little bit shaky off the tee. Other days I was finding a lot of fairways so I was just mad at myself. I missed, just a bunch of times. It would have helped my score a lot. But, it wasn’t meant to be as the leaders’ scores are very low anyway.

I’m looking to try to keep my card for next year. I’ll be playing in the next few events. It’s certainly one step in the correct direction.

My coach is going to accompany next week, so I hope that I’ll have a week that is as great as this was.

I’m back to where I want my game. The crowd is awesome and the course is great. So, I’m really looking forward to coming back.

Scores after round 4 of the The 34th Shinhan Donghae Open being played at the par 71, 7161 Yards Bear’s Best Cheongna Golf Club course (am – denotes amateur):
262 – Sanghyun PARK (KOR) 65-68-66-63.
267 – Scott VINCENT (ZIM) 69-66-66-66.
269 – Nick VOKE (NZL) 68-68-68-65.
270 – Doyeob MUN (KOR) 71-67-68-64, Hyunwoo RYU (KOR) 71-64-69-66.
271 – Hyungjoon LEE (KOR) 68-65-72-66.
272 – Travis SMYTH (AUS) 69-66-67-70.
273 – John CATLIN (USA) 71-68-67-67, Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) 67-70-68-68, Byeonghun AN (KOR) 69-66-65-73.
274 – Hyowon PARK (KOR) 70-71-69-64, Miguel TABUENA (PHI) 68-65-70-71.

Ends.