Kruger ends seven-year drought, takes Shinhan Donghae title
Final day birdie blitz lifts S African to title
INCHEON: South Africa’s Jbe Kruger ended his seven-year title drought on the Asian Tour by signing off with a six-under-par 65 to win the 35th Shinhan Donghae Open by two shots yesterday.
Kruger has not won another Asian Tour title since his lone triumph in India in 2012. However, he showed he was ready to make his comeback to the winner’s circle with a commanding performance where he did not drop a single shot in his last 37 holes at the Bear’s Best Cheongna Golf Club.
Trailing overnight leader Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe by two shots, the South African made his move quickly with a birdie on the second hole, followed by another pair of birdies on holes seven and eight.
After making another birdie on 11, Kruger knew he would have a chance of winning and charged ahead with three straight pars before pulling ahead with another set of birdies on 15 and 16 to eventually close with a winning total of 15-under 269.
“It all changed on the seventh hole when I made my second birdie and I could feel the momentum then. It was in the Lord’s plan whether I would win again today,” said Kruger.
Korean-American Chan Kim matched Kruger’s final round efforts with another 65 of his own to finish in outright second place.
Vincent could not hold on to his overnight lead, slipping to third place after posting a 71 at the 35th Shinhan Donghae Open, which was sanctioned by the Asian Tour, Korean PGA and Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO).
“It’s quite a bitter pill to swallow after finishing so close. I finished second and third quite a bit this year, so I’m just still waiting for that first win of the season,” said Kim.
LEADING FINAL ROUND SCORES
(par-71) 269 — Jbe Kruger (RSA) 69-67-68-65 271 — Chan Kim (USA) 66-71-69-65
273 — Scott Vincent (ZIM) 67-67-68-71 274 — Kang Sung (KOR) 69-70-65-70 275 — Rikuya Hoshino (JPN) 74-67-66-68
276 — Shugo Imahira (JPN) 66-70-68-72
277 — Ham Jeong-Woo (KOR) 68-69-71-69, Matthew Griffin (AUS) 70-72-65-70