Jeong-Hoon Wang wins KPGA Tour Hyundai Marine & Fire Choi Gyeong-Ju Invitational

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Young-ho = The Korea Professional Golf (KPGA) Tour Hyundai Marine & Fire Choi Kyung-ju Invitational, now in its 11th year, ended with Wang Jeong-hoon winning.

Wang Jeong-hoon recorded a final total of 10 under par 278 strokes in the KPGA Tour Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Choi Gyeong-ju Invitational (total prize money of 1.25 billion won, winner's prize of 250 million won), which ended at Ferrum Club (par 72) in Yeoju, Gyeonggi-do on the 4th, beating Kim Hong-taek (7 under par 281 strokes) by three strokes and enjoying his first KPGA tour tournament win.

The history of the Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Choi Kyung-joo Invitational, where Wang Jeong-hoon, who has won three times in the DP World Tour, tasted the KPGA Tour's 'major win', dates back to 2016.

Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Chairman Chung Mong-yoon decided to sponsor the competition, which was uncertain whether it would be held in 2016 due to failure to find a sponsor, and the competition has been held for 11 years since then.

The total prize money of the tournament, which started with 500 million won, rose to 750 million won in 2017, has continued to be 1 billion won since 2018, and 1.25 billion won since 2022.

To date, the cumulative total prize money has reached 11.5 billion won, and it is being held as the 5th ‘longevity tournament’ on the KPGA Tour.

In particular, this tournament eliminated the pro-am tournament in order to provide players with sufficient practice time, and considering the lack of large lodging facilities near the Ferrum Club, the tournament venue, the Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Training Center was opened as accommodation for players and caddies.

In addition, it is noticeable that Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance is covering the players' competition participation fees and providing meals to players, caddies, as well as their families during the competition, advocating 'player first'.

An official from Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance said, "When Chairman Chung Mong-yoon learned that the 2016 tournament held by Choi Gyeong-ju was difficult to hold due to the absence of a sponsor, sponsorship began suddenly. For 11 years, it has established itself as a tournament 'for players' that represents the KPGA Tour."