S. Korean Kim Si-woo captures 1st PGA win

SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) — South Korean golfer Kim Si-woo has captured his maiden PGA Tour win.

Kim won the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Sunday (local time), with a 21-under 259, five shots better than former world No. 1 Luke Donald of England. Kim shot a three-under 67 in the final round.

Kim became the fifth South Korean to win on the PGA Tour after Choi Kyoung-joo (K.J. Choi), Yang Yong-eun (Y.E. Yang), Bae Sang-moon and Noh Seung-yul.

The 21-year-old cashed in US$1.08 million, after tying the 72-hole tournament record set by Carl Petterson in 2008.

“It still feels like a dream,” Kim told Yonhap News Agency via phone. “I was feeling pressure, but I’m happy that I overcame it.”

In this Associated Press photo, Kim Si-woo of South Korea watches his tee shot on the 16th hole during the final round of the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Aug. 21, 2016.

Kim, who shot a course-record 10-under 60 in the second round, began the final day with a four-stroke lead over Rafa Cabrera Bello of Spain at 18-under. Kim had a quick start with four birdies over his first nine holes. He later picked up three bogeys through 14 holes but collected birdies on the par-5 15th and par-4 18th to seal his first victory on the PGA Tour.

“I played aggressively until the end,” he said. “I was confident and I didn’t have any fear of attacking the pin.”

When Kim headed to the 17th tee, thunderstorms suspended the play for an hour and 21 minutes.

Even the bad weather couldn’t cool off Kim, who capped off his victory with the birdie on the finishing hole.

After I got a birdie on the 15th hole, I was confident that I could take the victory if I could just keep my head in the game,” he said. “The rain delay actually calmed me down.”

Kim is now 15th in the FedEx Cup standings. He finished second at the Barbasol Championship last month.

Kim was the youngest player to graduate from the PGA Tour’s qualifying school in 2012. He was only 17 years, 5 months, 6 days old at the time. But due to a PGA Tour rule, he became a PGA Tour member in the midway of the 2013 season after he turned 18.