Korean Doyeob Mun, like a bolt from the blue, won the GS Caltex Maekyung Open after a sensational back nine birdie-fest saw him shoot a sizzling bogey-free eight-under-par 63.
Mun, six behind the leaders at the start of the day and playing nine groups ahead of the final pairing, stormed through with six birdies on the second half – including four-in-row from the 11th – to win by three shots from Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, plus Koreans Baekjun Kim and Junghwan Lee.
Mun posted his 10-under par total two hours before the final players finished, anxiously waiting to see if he would be caught.
Jazz missed makeable birdie putts on 14 and 15 and later bogeyed the last while Canadian Yonggu Shin birdied 13 and 14 to move one back but then dropped a shot on the 17th, before a catastrophic 10 on 18. He ended in a tie for 12th.
Mun’s run for the title was fast and furious. After making those four successive birdies he was one shot behind Jazz, who had just made the turn. The Korean soon joined Jazz in the lead on nine under after another birdie on 16 before making a birdie on the last for sole possession of first. He hit a majestic second shot on the difficult par-four 18th to six feet to set up one of only three birdies there today. And when Jazz dropped a shot on 13 Mun led by two in the clubhouse. He was hitting balls on the range in case of a play-off before events unfolded in his favour.
It’s championship Sunday here at Nam Soul Country Club. This is the final round of the 44th Makeium Open stage for the 35th time in this championship’s storied history back where it all began in 1982. So much has happened already on Sunday. Let’s show you some of the best from Soul. And we’ll start with Yung Jun Lee, the 36 hole leader, playing in the penultimate group, getting his day off to a fantastic start with a birdie at the opening hole that drew him level with Chaz Jane Watin and on at that point in the afternoon 3/3 Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent come close at the Shinan Donghar, but he’s on his second appearance at Nam Soul. Missed the cut back in 2018. He is lurking around the right side of the leaderboard in 2025. A beautiful T-shot at the third and then this curling birdie butt dropping in the former international series rankings champion back in 2022 and Jazz Matanon taking off as one of the two co-leaders. Par start and here at the par 33 Lot to get excited about watching from the tea just near Papen moving to one under for his round. We moved up to the fourth and a man who has come close in the last two editions of the Mikyong Open. Join runner up in 2023. Had the lead coming into Sunday last year, Jungan Lee with a nice birdie there. And then ahead at the fifth Sahit Sana. He’s battled the back injury for most of the last couple of months. Had his chances to let him down on Saturday. Wasn’t let him down here at the fifth. Beautiful iron shot setting up a putt which he would duly convert. So Suare also off to a solid start and Bo not a solid start for him in this final round. Double bogey at his opening hole and a bogey at the par five fourth. Getting back on track. Birdie the previous hold. Back-to-back birdies for the two-time champion. Another hit at the ninth. It was a frustrating round of 73 yesterday for Ouang Cho. Look at that. Pitch in for an eagle from the front side of the green on the ninth. Would get him back up to five under. Scott Vincent as well continuing his hot form on this final day. Birdie the par three third Bie his second par three that he plays of players at seven under Jazz Jane Watton on spot of bother on the seventh facing a challenging but put to keep his advantage at two as he hunts down a potential eight to a crown. A little wobble coming through that hairy fringe. So Jake wanted none back to where he began the day. Eight under. He still has his nose out in front. But five players a single shot back a slow start today after the opening whole birdie dropped four shots in a three-hole stretch but heading back in the right direction. Beautifully played jazz. Excellent opportunity at nine. Oh, it’s done well out of the rough. This looks like could be thought it was going to be a tap in, but it is an excellent birdie opportunity. It’s a pretty good leg into the green for Lee. Got it. Chaz started the day with the coal lead. Takes the solo lead to the 10th T. Now back to 10. and Justin Chin. Oh my goodness, he’s done it again. Justin Shin, how many hole outs have we seen this week, Anthony? That’s another one at a vital time for the Canadian. Very well done. Brilliantly done for Doyabun. And there was only one birdie recorded on the 16th hole yesterday. That was Scott Vincent. Look at that back nine for Doyab up into a share of the lead with Jazz Jane Watan in the unlikeliest of fashions. Got that one to grab nicely. None. Oh, what a shot for Doyun. Is it the shot for him? Outstanding stuff. that putt to post 10 under parried to wiggle back at the end just flumxed by the double breaker there Anthony not a problem for Jazz now toy man for birdie on 18 to post 10 under par. Fabulous birdie on 18 for Doyab man. What a Sunday for him. Comes home in 29. That is the target set by Doyab Man. The final round of the Mikyong Open. The heart still pounding after that finish from Doyman. He wouldn’t have scripted it. Starting the day at two under bar, six behind the lead, but with a fantastic finish. Avoided those sandfilled divots. Justin Chin. Justin Shin has picked the right club and the ball has rolled down into the perfect spot. Not the time for a clumsy pitch like that. Jazz, someone is going to have to produce a special finish when they want to catch Dyman with all smiles after that blemishfree 63. 10 under par up to 18. in this devilishly quick one for birdie for Uang Cho. Oh, settle down. Settle down. That could catch the ridge. Oh no. Oh, that could roll off the front of the green. There it goes. You think we were kidding when we said the greens at Nam Soul are severely pitched? Look at that. Yang Cho, he’s left himself a bit of a finicky one. Big Jun Kim. Oh, toss that one high up into the air. Beautifully played from Big Jun Kim. Pretty good from Shin. Just got to make the birdies here and on the very next hole. to give yourself a really good opportunity to enter a playoff or even have the chance to win outright. Grown to the crowd telling where that one ended up just a bar at 14. There’s always that chance for a heavy contact but sounded good. Couldn’t have done much better out of the fairway. He’ll definitely take that once he gets up there as this to half the deficit to Mun Shin to nine under par. fortunate for Jazz for the ball to have kicked out into play and taking full advantage. Nearly holding it out for an eagle. Jazz. It looks like that ball’s buried in the front bunker for that to bite. Listening for the reaction of the crowd. That’s one way to do it. Lovely escape from the sand for Jing Watan. Well, that’s just golf for you, isn’t it? You wait all day long. Two bogeies. And where does your first birdie of the day come? on the hardest all on tour. Well done, Big Jun Kim. A well done Bo Kim. Started his day with a double at the first, but that’s a nice way to end the championship for the twotime winner. Birdie on the last for Bo Kim 73 and a top 15 finish. air mails the green and into the crowd goes Yongu Shin. Was that a gust of wind or was that just straight adrenaline? Is that going to hang up? Yes, it will. Oh, run and mark it. Run and mark it. Junan, quickly. Uh-oh. Oh, that sound’s going to tell you what’s happened. He can barely watch. Yeah, he’s got to work on his speed training. Sometimes all you can do is smile. Back on the tea. Yongushin. This one’s heading left. Didn’t sound like it clipped that tree. Well, the spotter there on the right corner of the screen is not even moving. So, that is not good news for Justin. Looks like it’s going to be the biggest come from behind victory since Danny Chia the 202 Taiwan Masters when the Malaysian started the final round seven shots behind. The only shot that can affect the outcome of this championship. Chaz Jane Watanon needs to hold it and send us into a playoff. And with that, Doya Man makes it 21 straight years the South Korean has won the medium Open. Final confirmation man’s 63. Good enough for an eventual three shot margin of victory.
