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Moon Dong-hyun, born in 2006, captured his first career title at the 69th KPGA Championship (total purse 1.6 billion won), the longest-running event on the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Tour.
Moon shot a 2-under-par 69 with four birdies and two bogeys in the final fourth round held Sunday at the South and West courses (par 71) of A-One Country Club in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province. Finishing with a total of 9-under-par 275, Moon edged runner-up Kim Chan-woo (8-under-par 276) by one stroke to claim the top spot.
The winner's prize was 320 million won. Along with it, Moon earned a five-year exemption, securing a stable tour career going forward. At 20 years, two months and two days old, Moon also rewrote the KPGA Championship's record for youngest winner. The previous record belonged to Han Jang-sang, who won in 1960 at the age of 20 years, four months and 10 days.
Moon, who played on the amateur national team in 2023, competed as an invited player at the 2024 Woori Financial Championship and tied for second. After passing through the secondary tour, he debuted on the KPGA Tour last year, missing the cut six times in 14 events as a rookie. His best finish was a tie for 14th at the Gunsan CC Open.
But Moon showed a completely transformed game this year. He got off to a start by tying for fourth at the Woori Financial Championship in April, then made his name known in earnest with a runner-up finish at the Gyeongbuk Open last month.
Starting in a tie for second, one stroke back amid rain on the day, Moon actually slipped backward with a bogey on the front nine. But on the back nine he climbed into the lead with a birdie on the 10th hole (par 4), followed by another stroke shaved off at both the 13th (par 5) and 14th holes (par 4).
Moon allowed a tie for the lead after a bogey on the 15th hole (par 4), but cheered as he holed a chip shot from near the green on the 16th hole (par 4). Back in front by one stroke, Moon parred the remaining holes to win.
With Kim Chan-woo taking second, Eom Jae-woong and Lee Jae-jin tied for third at 7-under par, while Wang Jeong-hun and Kim Jun-hyung finished tied for fifth at 6-under par.
