Teenage golfer finishes as top S. Korean at U.S. Open

All News 08:39 June 20, 2022

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, June 20 (Yonhap) -- Teenager Kim Joo-hyung has ended his first U.S. Open as the highest-ranked South Korean player.

Kim finished alone in 23rd place at the 122nd U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, on Sunday (local time), with a four-round total of three-over 283.

In this Getty Images photo, Kim Joo-hyung of South Korea tees off on the eighth hole during the third round of the 122nd U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, on June 18, 2022. (Yonhap)

Kim, who turns 20 on Tuesday, traded three birdies with three bogeys for an even-par final round of 70.

He had opened the third major of the season with a 72, and followed it up with 68 and 73.

This was Kim's U.S. Open debut. He had only made two other major appearances, missing the cut at the 2020 and 2022 PGA Championships.

Kim, the reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit winner as its money leader, has won twice in Asia and twice more on the Korean Tour.

As for other South Korean players in the field, Lee Kyoung-hoon, a two-time tour winner, finished tied for 37th at seven-over 287. Im Sung-jae, the top South Korean in the world rankings at No. 21, missed the cut by one after shooting 72-72. Kim Si-woo, who has three career tour wins, also missed out on the weekend after going 76-69 in his first two rounds.

Matt Fitzpatrick of England captured his first U.S. Open title and his first major at six-under 274, holding off world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler by one stroke.