Seongnam, Korea: With a super-charged performance, Jung Chan-min, nicknamed the ‘Korean Hulk’, completed a shock wire-to-wire victory in the weather-shortened GS Caltex Maekyung Open.

Jung shot a closing five-under-par 66 for a tournament total of 16-under and a commanding six-shot victory at Namseoul Country Club in the event that was reduced to 54 holes after the cancellation of round three due to torrential rain.

Amateur Song Min–hyuk and fellow-Korean Lee Jung–hwan tied for second following rounds of 64 and 70 respectively, Their compatriots Lee Jaek–yeong (66) and Park Eun–shin (67) tied for fourth, one shot back, while defending champion Kim Bi-o, also from Korea, finished in a tie for sixth, an additional stroke behind, following a 70.

Until this week, 23-year-old Jung was best known as one of the biggest hitters in Korea – he topped the driving distance stats on the Korean PGA Tour last year. He’d only finished in the top-10 twice in domestic events since turning professional three years ago.

That all changed this week with an inspired and unexpected victory that has helped him live up to his nickname.

Jung led after the opening day with a 63 and had a two-shot advantage after his second round 68. Following Saturday’s washout, he kept his foot on the accelerator in the final round with a front nine of five-under 31, with an eagle – the result of holing his bunker shot on the par-five fourth – and three birdies.

That put him six strokes ahead at the turn. He closed out the event with nine straight pars on the second half.  

After collecting the first-place prize money of US$222,222 for his maiden Asian Tour win, Jung said: “I won a big tournament wire-to-wire, so I feel good.

“I sensed the victory with an eagle on the fourth hole. After that, I felt at ease. I used my driver on nine holes today, I used it often because I was confident.

“My putting has changed a lot, I had a lot of worries before, but it’s solved, the anxiety is gone.”