Seoul, Korea: Kim Min-kyu will take the high road to Scotland after claiming his second Kolon Korea Open presented by ELORD title in the space of two years to draw a line under a couple of challenging seasons.

He closed with a five-under-par 66 at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club, just south of Seoul – the scene of his win in 2022 – to finish on 11-under for a three-shot victory over fellow-Korean Song Young-han, the overnight leader who carded a 71.

Koreans Jang Yu-bin, who returned a best-of-the-day 65, and Kang Kyung-nam, in with a 71, finished tied for third, one shot back.

Filipino Miguel Tabuena fired a 67 to take sole possession of fifth place, one stroke further behind, his best result of the season.

Kim and Song secured the two places available in next month’s Open Championship at Royal Troon in Scotland, as the Korean event is part of the Open Qualifying Series.

Kim, aged 23 and a professional since 2017, started Sunday two shots behind Song but moved two ahead of his playing partner at the turn, with Jang three back. Kim toured the front in three-under with an eagle on eight, two birdies and a bogey.

By hole 12, which he birdied, he had a three-shot cushion, but it looked like he was in trouble on the par-three 13th following an uncharacteristically loose tee shot. His ball landed in the water in front of the green but somehow it popped up and finished on the edge of the island green, in semi-rough. He capitalised on his good fortune and got up and down for a par. A birdie on the next saw him extend his advantage to four shots.

He dropped a shot on the 16th and with Jang, playing two groups ahead, carding a birdie on 17 it meant the gap was down to two.

However, a confident birdie on the par-five last sealed the deal for Kim. Song also made birdie on 18 to snatch second place from Jang, who made bogey there, and Kang – second here last year and narrowly missing out on another trip to The Open.

Two years ago, Kim was on the crest of a wave after winning his national Open by beating countryman Cho Min-gyu in a three-hole play-off, but two months later he was in a car crash on the eve of the International Series Korea on Jeju Island.

It was two months before he could play again and he has gradually worked his way back since, including finishing equal fourth here last year.

However, this month has proven to be pivotal for Kim as he won the Descente Korea Munsingwear Matchplay at the start of June, his second win on home soil before today’s victory validating his hard work.

It is the sixth win of his career which began with three wins in 2017 – two on the Euro Pro Tour and one on the Jamega Pro Tour – before he made global headlines the following season with victory in the D+D Real Czech Challenge to become the European Challenge Tour’s youngest winner at the age of 17.

Reflecting on his latest triumph and his fortunate break on 13, Kim said: “I feel like I am dreaming. [On hole 13] I tried to hit a fade, but it flew too low. It hit water and came up. I went over and the ball was there.”

When KJ Choi won this year’s SK Telecom Open he had a similar incident on an island green in a play-off.

Said Kim: “I was thinking about KJ’s SK Telecom Open island shot at that moment. After I survived that I felt I was going to win, and then I birdied the next hole.”

Victory in 2022 also saw him qualify for The Open, played at St Andrews. He did not make the cut but will hope to rectify that this summer.

“I have been to Royal Troon before to watch an Open when I was at junior high school, so I will go there with good memories,” he added.

The Asian Tour has a one week break now before heading to the International Series Morocco, where Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond will try and defend the title he won in 2022, when the event was last played. The tournament will be played on the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in the capital Rabat.