Singapore: Kim Joo-hyung claimed The Singapore International after a gripping sudden-death play-off against Rattanon Wannasrichan at Tanah Merah Country Club.

Korea’s 19-year-old prodigious talent holed a pressure-packed 14-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole, on the Tampines Course’s daunting par-five 18th, before Rattanon missed his birdie attempt from eight feet.

The victory also saw Kim, who earned a cheque for US$180,000, overtake Australian Wade Ormsby on the Asian Tour Order of Merit with one more event remaining this season, next week’s SMBC Singapore Open.

Kim and Rattanon, playing together in the final pairing, finished the tournament tied on four-under, after Kim closed with a 70 and Rattanon 72.

Thai amateur Ratchanon Chantananuwat, aged just 14, was in contention for much of the day, making it a battle of the teenagers. He took sole possession of third when he returned a 69 to finish two shots shy of the play-off.

For the fourth day in a row, strong winds swept the Tampines Course. Only the top three bettered par over 72 holes, testament to the difficulty of the Tanah Merah venue, a Facility Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.

Showing maturity beyond his years, Kim handled conditions impressively to capture his second Asian Tour title, following his win in the 2019 Panasonic Open in India.

Asked which win was the hardest, he said: “Has to be this one. Just because it’s a tough golf course. All the players played their hearts out. I’m very lucky to be on top. It was a grind today. I think it was a lot harder than the first one.”

Kim looked to be on course to take the title in more comfortable fashion and held a one-shot lead playing the final hole in normal time. But Rattanon made an eight-foot birdie putt after a brilliant chip from behind the green while the Korean took two to get out of the greenside bunker, after a difficult lie for his third, before making a tense par putt from three feet to force the tournament into a sudden-death play-off.

It was a remarkable turn of events as the Korean had been two ahead with two holes to play but found trouble with his second shot on 17. He pushed his approach right into a penalty area next to a lake, took a drop, chipped to 15 feet and bravely made the putt for bogey.

“To be honest, I was walking down the fairway on that shot [on 17], to that pin. I thought I had this under control and just didn’t play safe enough,” said Kim.

“I played aggressive the whole day and I felt like sticking to the game plan was the right choice. I took the longer club and just got lazy on it, leaked it right but had a great up and down. I just told myself to give myself a chance … and it worked out.”

Rattanon was also in trouble on 17 but made a brilliant up-and-down from the greenside bunker for par before the drama unfolded on the last.

He was also trying to win his second title on Tour, after his success in the 2017 Thailand Open, and had held the lead after the first and second days.

Ratchanon, better known as ‘TK’, was attempting to become the youngest winner on one of the world’s main Tours, aged 14 years, three months, four days.

He would have bettered the mark set by his countrywoman Atthaya Thitikul, who won the 2017 Ladies European Tour’s Thailand Open when she was 14 years, four months, 19 days.

However, it was not to be. After going out in five-under 31, he came back in three-over which included a double on 17.

“People will look at those scores online, see those dropped shots, and think I played badly. But I didn’t. I was trying so hard and playing well,” said the youngster, who made a 12-footer for birdie on 18.