Korean teen sensation wins Panasonic Open

South Korea’s Joohyung Kim holds the trophy as he poses for photographs on the green after winning the Panasonic Indian Open golf tournament in Gurgaon on 17 November 2019 – AFP 

GURGAON, AFP: Korean teenager Joohyung Kim on Sunday become the second-youngest winner on the Asian Tour when he won the shortened Panasonic Open in India by one stroke ahead of local challengers Shiv Kapur and Chikkarangappa S.

The 17-year-old, who was making just his third start on the Tour this year, fired a seven-under-par 65 in the third and final round at the 54-hole, $ 400,000 tournament in Gurgaon near New Delhi to clinch the title.

Kapur had a share of the overnight lead with Australia’s Terry Pilkadaris but was let down by a costly double-bogey seven on his closing hole.

Pilkadaris finished fourth after carding a 71, while Indonesia’s Rory Hie, Chinese Taipei’s Hung Chien-yao and India’s Vikrant Chopra were tied fifth.

“I’m really speechless. It has been a dream of mine to play on the Asian Tour ever since I was young,” Kim said. “And it’s really wonderful to come here, be in contention and win. I cannot describe the feeling now.” The Asian Tour event was shortened to 54 holes amid a severe and toxic smog enveloping northern India.