Junghwan Lee celebrates his first DP World Tour victory at the Genesis Championship in South Korea, while Germans finish mid-field.
34-year-old South Korean Junghwan Lee secured his maiden DP World Tour title on home soil at the Genesis Championship. Starting the final round four shots behind co-leaders Mikael Lindberg and Nacho Elvira, Lee opened with a bogey on the second hole, suggesting a shaky start. However, he quickly found his rhythm, carding an impressive eight birdies to finish the day seven under par. Meanwhile, the overnight leaders faltered: Lindberg shot a +2 to drop to seventh place, and Elvira, with three birdies and three bogeys, finished even par to share second place with England’s Laurie Carter, who posted a solid 67.
Breakthrough Win for Junghwan Lee
With this victory, Lee made a significant leap in the Race to Dubai rankings, climbing 244 spots to 63rd. He now qualifies for the first DP World Tour Play-Off event, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, next month. Reflecting on his win, Lee said, “It feels like I’m dreaming. I really wanted to get on the DP World Tour and worked very hard for it. Somehow, it didn’t quite happen — I tried so hard — and now I have this amazing opportunity. I’m just incredibly grateful.”
German Players Finish in the Middle of the Pack
Germany’s Nicolai von Dellingshausen and Max Kieffer shared 42nd place with six other players. Von Dellingshausen couldn’t maintain his early tournament form, finishing with a 73 that included three birdies, a double bogey, and three bogeys. Kieffer, on the other hand, posted his best round of the tournament on Sunday with a 68, but his overall score of -1 was only enough for a mid-field finish.
Joel Girrbach Achieves Season Goal
Swiss golfer Joel Girrbach ended the final round with a 69, securing a solid T21 finish at -4 overall. This result moved him up to 60th in the Race to Dubai standings, allowing him to achieve his season goal.