Singapore: In an outstanding development for the Asian Tour, the United States Golf Association (USGA) has announced that the 2020-21 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner has earned a place in the elite field for this year’s US Open.

This means newly-crowned Merit list champion Kim Joo-hyung will have the pleasure of recalibrating his schedule to include a trip to what will be the 122nd United States Open Championship – to be played at The Country Club, Brookline, Massachusetts from June 16-19.

“This is amazing news,” said the 19-year-old Korean. “I have had a great start to the year, but things just got better!”

Kim, who is competing in this week’s Royal’s Cup in Thailand, wrapped up the Merit title last month after finishing joint second at the SMBC Singapore Open, the final event of the Asian Tour’s 2020-21 season.

After earning US$108,125 at Sentosa Golf Club he topped the list with winnings of US$507,553 having played in all eight events on the schedule.

“This is tremendous news. The Asian Tour truly appreciates this recognition from the USGA. Joo-hyung is clearly the number one player on the Asian Tour right now and without doubt deserves this honour,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO of the Asian Tour, a Full Business Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.

Kim became the second youngest winner of the Merit title after compatriot Noh Seung-yul, who was also 19 when he won in 2010 but was one month younger.

Kim’s path to the top was helped by winning The Singapore International the week before Singapore’s national Open.