Buddy Show Byeong-hoon Ahn “It was great to support my family and students.”

An Byeong-Hoon, who played in front of Korean fans for the first time in five years, smiled with satisfaction and said, “I gained tremendous strength from the fans’ support. I am happy to have laid the foundation for competing for the championship from the first day.”

Byung-Hoon An recorded 5 under par 67 strokes in the first round of the tournament held at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon on the 24th. Although he made two bogeys, he took the lead and grabbed 7 birdies, putting his name at the top of the leaderboard.

Byeong-Hoon An, who is ranked 36th in the men’s golf world rankings and is the second-highest ranked player among the participating players, was considered one of the strong candidates for the championship. And from the first day, he showed off sharp shots and putts and put on a buddy show in front of domestic fans. As announced in an interview prior to the competition, the ‘Dakkong strategy’ that exceeded expectations also impressed the galleries.

The best scenes occurred in the 3rd hole (par 5) and the 4th hole (par 4). In the par-5 3rd hole, he performed a ‘driver off the deck’ technique by hitting a tee shot 308 yards despite a headwind, then holding the driver in the fairway and hitting a second shot. With about 290 yards left to the pin, Byung-Hoon An’s second shot flew low and stopped in front of the green. The galleries cheered at the surprising shot and shouted, “Ahn Byeong-Hoon is amazing!” As if in response, Byeong-Hoon An put his third shot close to the hole and easily caught a birdie.

On the 4th hole, I hit a tee shot with a 1-iron as planned. The ball flew close to 288 yards with a low trajectory as if it was sticking to the fairway and landed in the exact center of the fairway. Byung-Hoon An hit his second shot about 4 yards away and grabbed another birdie.

Everything went according to plan. Byeong-Hoon An also could not hide his joy. He expressed his determination, saying, “I wanted to play well in front of the Korean fans, but I recorded a satisfactory score of 5 under par. I hope the remaining rounds will go well like the first day. I will focus and play with the goal of competing for the championship on the final day.”

Among the galleries that followed An Byeong-hun that day, there were special guests. These are the players who participated in the ‘Ahn Byeong-Hoon Junior Clinic’ that Byeong-Hoon An invited to the United States at his own expense last year. Jeong Ji-won, Kim Min-ki, and Kim Tae-gyu followed and cheered on their teacher and mentor, An Byeong-hoon. The three players said, “Last year, thanks to Pro Byeong-Hoon An, I made special memories in the United States that I will never forget. They provided support for flights and lodging, and on-site, I received guidance from Pro Byeong-Hoon Ahn, one of the best players on the PGA Tour.” They said, “They are coming to Korea. “I contacted you after hearing the story, and I would like to thank professional Byeong-hoon Ahn for taking the time to pay attention to my busy schedule so I could watch the show at the venue.”

His father, former Olympic medalist Ahn Jae-hyung, former coach of the national table tennis team, and his mother, Zhao Zhimin, former Chinese table tennis representative, also walked around the game on the first day and cheered him on.

[인천 임정우 기자]

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