Big-hitting Kim tipped for OneAsia encore
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South Korea's defending champion Park Sang-hyun has tipped in-form countryman Kim Dae-hyun to mount a strong challenge at the SK Telecom Open, the fourth leg of OneAsia's 2010 schedule.
Park and Kim will be up against a strong field at Sky 72 Golf Club from May 20-23 including local hero K.J. Choi, a three-time winner of the SK Telecom Open, rising star Kim Kyung-tae and Australian ace Scott Arnold.
"I think Kim Dae-hyun will be one of the favorites at the SK Telecom Open because he's playing so well and also because the fairways at Sky 72 are quite wide, so he will be able to make the most of his long drives," said Park of the big-hitting Kim, whose 300-plus yard drives were a feature of his play at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open.
The 22-year-old Kim produced an outstanding display to win this month's GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship and vault to fifth place on OneAsia's Order of Merit with winnings of 164,869 U.S. dollars. His victory on OneAsia also moved him up 60 spots on the Official World Golf Rankings to number 276.
Kim will be returning to the venue where he finished fifth behind Choi at the SK Telecom Open in 2008.
Park realizes that his task will be that much harder than last year when he triumphed by a stroke from Busan-based Kim Do-hoon.
"My victory in last year's SK Telecom Open was very special as it was my first pro win. I'm excited about it about it being on OneAsia this year as it will be a bigger tournament," said the 27-year-old Park, whose victory helped him finish a career-high fifth on the Korean Tour Order of Merit last year.
"For me, there's no added pressure to defend my title, although it's the first time for me. I do know that as defending champion, I'll be playing with better players this time, so I should learn a lot from them."
Kim Kyung-tae, 23, battled Kim Dae-hyun all the way at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open before settling for second place and he will be looking to reverse the roles at the SK Telecom Open.
Choi, who won the SK Telecom Open in 2003, 2005 and 2008, expects strong challenges from the emerging band of talented South Koreans, including the two Kims.
"They (the young Koreans) are the future of Asian golf. With hard work and consistency in their routine and playing bigger overseas tournaments, their future is bright," said the world number 36.
Arnold, the world's number one amateur last year, will be building on a good display over the mountainous Namseoul layout that saw him finish in a tie for third with Korean duo Han Min-kyu and Kang Kyung-nam.
Launched in 1997, the SK Telecom Open boasts a notable list of past winners including Choi, Park, Thailand's Prom Meesawat (2006) and Simon Yates from Scotland (2004).
The tournament also hit the headlines in 2006 when American Michelle Wie made the cut to become only the second female to play all four rounds in a men's professional event in South Korea. Pak Se-ri from South Korea was the first in 2003.
In 2010, OneAsia will stage 11 tournaments, ultimately seeking to provide players in Asia with an alternative pathway to the PGA Tour and the European Tour.
