Ben An defeated Tom Kim at the Genesis Championship on Sunday. It’s also possible that he pulled off the shot of the year in pro golf.
An’s playoff victory in South Korea drew the most attention for Kim’s painful birdie lip out on 18, but it was a clutch—and daring—driver off the deck a few holes earlier that helped An to his second career DP World Tour title.
Faced with 290 yards to the par-5 15th hole at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Incheon, Ben went with the big dog. Despite water guarding the green. And it led to this spectacular result, part of An’s late birdie barrage to get into that playoff:
WHAT A SHOT!! @ByeongHunAn with driver off the deck for one of the shots of the year. #GenesisChampionship pic.twitter.com/0MVlJZhIEE
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) October 27, 2024
Unbelievable. No offence to social media’s DOD King, but Ben An now holds the crown after that. And again, you can argue that he now owns the shot of the year in 2024. Or, at least, in non-majors. It’s tough to top Bryson DeChambeau’s incredible long bunker shot on the 72nd hole at the U.S. Open. Or Johnson Wagner’s amazing recreation of that shot.
Regardless, congrats to Ben on the baller shot. And to all the weekend hacks out there, don’t try this at home.