Shin Sang-hoon wins Golfzon Open on second playoff hole, claiming third KPGA Tour title

Shin Sang-hoon defeated Jeong Chan-min in a playoff to win the KPGA Tour Golfzon Open, which carried a purse of 1 billion won ($724,000).

Shin fired a 2-under-par 69 in the final round Sunday at Golfzon County Seonsan (par 71) in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, finishing at 16-under 268 to force a tie with Jeong. He then drained a birdie on the second playoff hole to claim the title.

The two halved the first extra hole — the par-5 18th — with pars. On the second playoff hole, Shin holed a 2.5-meter birdie putt to end the tension. Jeong had overshot the green with his third shot and left his fourth chip about a meter short of the cup.

Jeong had looked in control for much of the day, making three birdies on the front nine and holding a two-stroke lead through the 15th hole. The momentum began to shift when Shin converted a testing 5-meter par putt on the par-4 15th.

Jeong then three-putted for bogey on the par-4 16th, cutting the gap to one stroke. Shin completed his comeback on the par-3 17th, draining a 7-meter birdie putt to draw level and send the contest to a playoff.

The victory was Shin's first since returning from mandatory military service, earning him a winner's check of 200 million won. It also marked his third career KPGA Tour title — coming 2 years and 10 months after his previous win at the LG Group Signature Tour Championship, the final event of the 2023 season, just before he entered the military.

Jeon Jae-han closed with a 3-under 68 to finish at 12-under 272, sharing fourth place with Hwang Do-yeon, Kim Young-su and Kim Chan-woo. Song Min-hyeok shot a 5-under 66 to post 11-under 273, tying for seventh with Park Jun-seop.