Euro Tour rookie An posts record-setting PGA Championship victory

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WENTWORTH, England: South Korea's Byeong-hun An turned the European PGA Championship into a procession winning the prestigious event by six shots at Wentworth on Sunday.
Twenty-three-year old An carded a final round 65 to finish on a tournament record mark of 267, 21-under par, beating the 19-under winning scores recorded by Scott Drummond in 2004 and Anders Hansen in 2002.
An pocketed a winning prize of 833,333 euros for the best performance of his career in his 31st event on the European Tour
On a memorable day for Asian golf Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee finished in a tie for second on 273 alongside Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez and two shots clear of England's Chris Wood who had a hole-in-one on his way to a 66.
Italy's Francesco Molinari, who was tied for the lead with An overnight, faded to a closing 74 and fifth after leading for the first three days.
An was the youngest winner of the US Amateur when he claimed the crown aged 17 in 2009 at Southern Hills but had won just once as a professional before this win and this was his first appearance in Europe's biggest event outside the British Open.
But he had shown form this season with a share of fifth place at the Qatar Masters being the first of three top-10 finishes.
An was tied with Molinari at 14-under par at the start of the final day, the first time he had led a European Tour event, but Molinari fell away after bogeying the first whilst An had a bogey-free front nine of 33, two-under par.
He pressed the accelerator after the turn to put daylight between himself and the rest of the field by birdying the par-4 11th and making an eagle three at the 12th.
By the time he rolled in a birdie putt on the 15th An was five clear and the rest of the field were playing for place money.
A birdie on the par-5 17th got An to 21-under and a solid par-5 at the last brought the curtain down on his record-breaking win and a breakthrough win for the Seoul-born player.
An became the first European Tour rookie to win the flagship event since Scott Drummond did the trick in 2004 and only the third in the history of the tournament, after Drummond and Bernard Gallacher in 1969.


Golf-Choi claims first OneAsia win with birdie finish
Choi Jin-ho held his nerve to drain an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win the SK Telecom Open on Sunday by one shot from South Korean compatriot Lee Soo-min.
The 30-year-old, in his third tournament back following a near-two year break to fulfil military duties, had tossed away the lead after his third bogey of the day at the par four 15th before his stunning finish sealed a first OneAsia Tour win.
"Amazing, I am so relieved," said Choi after signing for a final round of level par 72 and 10-under total.
"It was a difficult battle all the way and I am very pleased my game held up. It is an emotional victory considering everything and a surprise to come so soon. I guess I was just very up for it."
His victory in the one billion Korean Won ($912,184.04) event took him to the top of the OneAsia Order of Merit following the third of 10 tournaments on the calendar this year.
Choi, who had won three times on the domestic tour before his military break, held a one shot lead at the start of the day and eagled the fifth before he coughed up bogeys to keep the field in touch.
Lee, who fired a course-record 63 on Saturday, had his final round charge halted by a double bogey six on the 11th and could only par his way home as he settled for second place.


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