Lee Tae-hee (Photo Asian Tour)
Lee Tae-hee’s bid to become the first player to win the Maekyung Open golf championships three times got off to the perfect start today when he took the first-round lead with a six-under-par 65.
He finished his round in the morning session at Namseoul Country Club, the scene of his successes in 2019 and 2020, but it was enough to keep the lead by the end of the day.
Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert plus Koreans Cho Ming-yu, Sin Sang-hun and Kim Baek-jun are in second following 66s, while Thailand’s Poom Saksansin, Englishman Steve Lewton and Korea’s Jang Yu-bin, Jung Tea-yang, Park Eunshin, Jung Yu-jun and Kim Min-su, an amateur, are next after 67s.
Tae-hee is the only player to win this tournament – considered a Major here and called Korea’s Masters as the winner dons a Green Jacket – back-to-back, although his second win came when it was only part of the Korean PGA Tour and not sanctioned with the Asian Tour due to the global pandemic.
Come Sunday afternoon he will dearly love to play the par-four 18th like he did today.
“My tee shot went right down the middle of the fairway. The pin was front-right, and I wanted to hit a high shot, but I couldn’t because of a divot,” said the Korean, one of five players to win the event twice.
“I had 130 yards left, but considering the uphill slope and the wind, I aimed to send it about 155 yards and hit an 8 iron. Because it was uphill, I couldn’t see the green, but the gallery started clapping. When I got there, the ball was in the hole. It’s my first eagle on the 18th hole!”
Having start on 10 it was his ninth and allowed him to make the turn in four-under 31, thanks to three birdies and just one dropped shot. Two birdies on the second half saw him reach six under.
He said: “I’ve played in the Maekyung Open nearly 20 times, I think the most important thing is being myself. Being able to play my own game in any situation is key. Belief in myself and confidence are the most important factors. I know the dangerous areas better than other players on this course, so in that sense, I feel more comfortable.”
Pavit and Poom were quick to point out that today’s rounds are their best ever at an event where they have always struggled due to the notoriously difficult Namseoul course, which is in south Seoul.
The former has made the cut twice in five starts here, with a best of joint 33rd in 2024, while the latter has not made it through to the weekend in four attempts.
Pavit arrives here extremely well and truly on point, in third place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit – thanks to two runners-up finishes.
“I never played good here,” said Pavit, “but honestly, this year after the first four events, I feel more confident about my game. Everything I think is about mindset.
“Everything felt smooth today and continued my momentum. It was a little bit of a colourful score card. It’s like I am always attacking. I’m very, very happy with how I play today. I came out strong mentally. That’s why I am playing good.”
The ‘colourful’ part refers to his front nine, where he made an eagle, five birdies and two bogies. Two birdies and two bogies made for a calmer second half.
He is in pursuit of his third title on the Asian Tour, the last being seven years ago at the Sabah Masters.
Poom was equally as surprised to see his name on the leaderboard.
Having arrived here following a seven-under-par 64 last Sunday to finish in a tie for sixth at the Singapore Open presented by The Business Times, the Thai started as one of the favourites. However, there was a look of confusion on his face after signing his scorecard.
“I’m not really expecting that here,” said the Thai, a four-time winner on the Asian Tour – the most recent the 2023 Yeangder TPC.
He missed the cut in 2018, 2023, 2024, and 2025. He also withdrew in 2019 and 2020.
“I planned not to come here this year, to be honest,” he added.
Asked how he managed to get the better of the course this time, he said: “I don’t know. Normally, I just cannot hit from the fairway here – it’s just like I cannot control the ball. The second shot is very important here. You have to be precise, due to the pin location. You cannot go over the pin.
“Also, I just scored well on the par threes today. I made three under on them. So, that’s why I scored well. And I found good places to make to up and downs.”
After starting on the front nine, he made the turn in four under thanks to birdies on 13, 15, 17 and 18. One of those, the 17th, is a par three. The back nine was not as strong but the bogeys he made on five and seven, where countered by birdies on three and six – both par threes.
It’s the first time he has been back to Korea since compatriot Sadom Kaewkanjana beat him by two shots on an epic final day at the Kolon Korea Open last year.
“That hurt a little bit, because the winner gets a five-year exemption to play in Korea,” he said.
Korea’s Ham Jeong-woo, winner of last week’s Singapore Open, fired a 70 while his countryman and defending champion Mu Do-yeob will be disappointed with his 72.
