Bae Yong-jun wins Lexus Masters in second playoff hole for third career title

Bae Yong-jun claimed the KPGA Tour Lexus Masters title on Sunday, winning a two-hole playoff to take the 1 billion won ($749,000) event.

Bae carded an even-par 71 in the final round at Club72 Country Club's Ocean Course in Incheon, making two birdies and two bogeys. A total score of 12-under-par 272 left Bae tied with Jang Yu-bin and Jeong Jae-hyeon, forcing a playoff.

All three players made birdie on the par-5 18th hole in the first playoff hole, leaving the outcome unresolved. On the same hole in the second playoff hole, Bae stuck a third shot right next to the cup and converted the birdie. Jang and Jeong both missed their birdie putts and settled for par.

The victory was Bae's third on tour, following wins at the 2022 Honors K·Solago CC Han Jang-sang Invitational and the 2025 KPGA Classic. Both previous titles came in modified Stableford-format events, making this Bae's first stroke-play victory. The winner's share was 200 million won.

Bae had entered the final round as the solo leader by four strokes but could not extend that advantage, allowing the field to close in. Jang, who began the day five shots back, fired a 5-under-par 66 — with an eagle, five birdies and two bogeys — to draw level.

Jang briefly held a two-shot solo lead but dropped bogeys on the 14th and 16th holes — both par-4s — to let the title slip away. Jeong, who had played bogey-free with five birdies, missed a 2.7-meter birdie putt on the 18th and could not avoid the playoff.

Despite finishing runner-up, Jang climbed from third to second in the Genesis Player of the Year points standings and retained the top spot on the season money list. Shin Sang-hun, who finished at even-par 284 in a tie for 35th after shooting 2-under on Sunday, held on to the Player of the Year points lead.

After the Lexus Masters, Shin leads the Player of the Year standings with 5,339.01 points, followed by Jang at 5,136.75 and Jeong Chan-min at 5,064.77. The gap between Shin and Jang is just 202.26 points.

The season's major individual titles — including Player of the Year and leading money winner — will be decided at the season-ending KPGA Tour Championship, a 1.1 billion won event that opens Thursday at Teddy Valley Golf and Resort in Jeju.