Song Min-hyuk Breaks Through
A first professional win, a playoff par and a young champion with bigger targets ahead
Paju, Korea - Song Min-hyuk claimed his first professional victory at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open on Sunday, beating Cho Min-gyu in a playoff at Namseoul Country Club in Seongnam.
The 21-year-old former Korean national team player closed with a one-under 70 in the final round to finish on 11-under 273, level with Cho after 72 holes.
Song sealed the title on the first playoff hole, the par-four 18th, where he made par as Cho dropped a shot. The victory earned Song 300 million won, a five-year KPGA Tour exemption and a two-year Asian Tour card.
“I played a lot in contention last year,” Song said. “I thought I could compete for wins. I desperately wanted to win, but I believed that if I had the strength to get back up even after falling, I could become a player who wins many more times. I’m really happy that a good chance came sooner than I expected.”
Song said Namseoul had long held good memories for him and that winning in front of large galleries made the moment even sweeter.
“I had good memories of this course since I was young, so winning was my goal,” he said. “I wanted my first win to come at a tournament with a lot of spectators. I thought I would cry if I won, but I didn’t. I was so happy that I smiled first.”
Song, a national team member from 2021 to 2023, now has larger ambitions for the season.
“I plan to challenge the Korn Ferry Tour this year,” he said. “If I win the Genesis Grand Prize, I can skip the first stage and go straight to the final. Since my first win came earlier than expected, I want to challenge for three wins this season.”
Cho, runner-up in 2011, 2020 and 2022, again had to settle for second place.
National team player Kim Min-soo was the leading amateur, finishing tied for 14th on four-under 280. Fellow national team player Son Je-i, who also made the cut, finished 68th.