Hwang and Jang qualify for The 148th Open at Kolon Korea Open

Cheonan, Korea, June 23: Innchoon Hwang and Dongkyu Jang have secured their places in The 148th Open after qualifying at the KOLON Korea Open.

The KOLON Korea Open was played at Woo Jeong Hill Country Club in Cheonan and was the seventh event in The Open Qualifying Series, which gives golfers around the world opportunities to book their place at Royal Portrush from 14-21 July 2019.

Two places were available to the leading players who finished in the top 8 and ties and who were not already exempt.
Jazz Janewattananond, who was already exempt from qualifying for The Open after winning the SMBC Singapore Open in January, lifted his fourth title on the Asian Tour after topping the leaderboard on a six-under-par total of 278.

Hwang will make his debut in The Open and first major championship appearance after finishing runner-up one stroke behind Janewattananond on a five-under-par total of 279. The Korean, who has five professional wins including the GS Caltex Maekyung Open on the Asian Tour, carded a one-under-par round of 70 that included three birdies to clinch the first available qualifying place.

Chan Kim finished in third place on four-under-par for the championship and had already qualified for The Open, meaning that the second qualifying spot went to Jang thanks to his higher position in the Official World Golf Ranking than Minjoon Kim.

The Korean pair finished in a tie for fourth place on a three-under-par total of 281 but it will be Jang, who last qualified to play in golf’s original championship at Royal Liverpool after winning the 2014 Gateway to The Open Mizuno Open, who will take his place in the starting field at Royal Portrush next month.

The next two events in The Open Qualifying Series are the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation in Spain and the Rocket Mortgage Classic in the United States of America. Both events are being played from 27-30 June.

Photo Credit:  The R&A/Getty Images