AR
By Matt Smith
Home hope Jeunghun Wang is ready to make a return to the big stage at the Asian Tour International Series Korea.
The 26-year-old, who grabbed international headlines with three fine victories on the DP World Tour in 2016/17, has just returned to action having from 18-months of National Service – and it looks he is ready to pick up where he left off.
Wang competed in the International Series Singapore last week and finished in 22nd position in his first event since October 2020. He lines up in this week’s International Series Korea at Lotte Skyhill Country Club on Jeju Island.
Again, a host of LIV Golf players will join their Asian Tour counterparts, including Scott Vincent, Sadom Kaewkanjana, Justin Harding, Phachara Khongwatmai, Chase Koepka, Andy Ogletree, Turk Pettit and Peter Uihlein.
“It’s really exciting to be playing again, and I think I’m playing OK,” he said. “I’m really enjoying playing right now and I’m looking forward to playing this week in Jeju. I know the course so I think I can play better than last week.”
He shot rounds of 70, 67, 69, and 73 to finish nine-under at Tanah Merah Country Club, seven behind the winner, Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong.
“I didn’t have any chance to practise any golf during this [National Service]. Actually, I thought I was going to play really bad last week in Singapore, but I’m still playing OK so I feel happy about that, and hopefully I can play well this week.”
It was in May of 2016 that he claimed the Trophee Hassan II, before he won the following week’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, an event sanctioned by Asia, Europe and South Africa. The following year he triumphed in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters an at one point rose as high as 39th on the Official World Golf Ranking.
“Actually, until the third-round last week I was really happy about it, but I hit it really bad on Sunday, so I was a bit disappointed,” he said.
This week he has the advantage of having played at Lotte Skyhill before.
He added: “I know the course so I think I can play better in Jeju than in Singapore, but I haven’t played any tournaments on the course, just practised.”
National Service is mandatory for Korean men: “It was a good experience, but it was too long. No freedom, so yeah, that’s the hard thing. Just shooting guns every day, training every day,” he said.
After this week’s event Wang is looking forward to playing in a few Korean events, but a return to the DP World Tour will have to wait until next season.
“No, I can’t play Europe this year, not until next year. I will probably play two more events in Korea and then I’m just gonna practise some more, I just need to practise now,” added Wang.
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