Jeongwoo Ham Triumphs at Singapore Open Amidst Challenging Conditions
Jeongwoo Ham's Victory at the Singapore Open
Singapore City [Singapore], April 26: Jeongwoo Ham from Korea achieved a remarkable wire-to-wire victory at the Singapore Open, presented by The Business Times, following an intense final day battle on The Serapong course at Sentosa Golf Club.
Ham faced stiff competition from the talented young Australian golfer, Cameron John, during the US$ 2 million International Series event.
With a closing score of three-under-par 68, Ham finished at 16-under overall, securing a two-shot lead over John, which also earned both players spots in this summer's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
Indian golfers Pukhraj Singh Gill (71-70-72-67) and Gaganjeet Bhullar (67-68-72-73) were the top performers from India, finishing tied for 26th with a total score of 4-under 280.
The weather played a significant role in the final round, as play was halted for over three hours due to lightning after three days of extreme heat and humidity, resuming at 3:30 pm.
Young Gill, who received an invitation from The International Series to participate this week due to its partnership with IGPL, showcased impressive skills, moving up from Tied-45 to T-26.
"This is one of the largest paychecks I will receive. It was my first International Series event, and I appreciate the sponsor's invite. I'm thrilled to have made the most of it," he expressed.
Gill displayed exceptional talent, carding a 67 in the final round at the challenging Sentosa Golf Club. He remarked, "It feels unbelievable. This validates the hard work I've put in over the years and my capabilities as a golfer. The level of competition is incredibly high on the Asian Tour."
Starting from the 10th tee, he made birdies on the 11th, 14th, and 18th holes, with a single bogey on the par-4 16th. On the back nine, he added two more birdies at the 4th and 7th holes. Gill noted, "The course setup today was more favorable for me. They extended the course, and my driving skills allowed me to capitalize on that, birdieing all the par 5s today."
Conversely, Bhullar had a challenging final round, finishing with a 2-over 73, which caused him to drop down the leaderboard. After performing well in the previous rounds, he hoped for a strong finish but struggled with four bogeys and a double bogey, although he ended on a high note with two birdies in the last two holes.
Ham began the day with a four-shot advantage over John, and when play was interrupted, they had completed seven holes with Ham leading by three.
On the par-five 18th hole, Ham secured his victory by reaching the back of the green in two strokes and two-putting for birdie, while John made par after nearly chipping in for a birdie.
Ham shared, "I tend to sweat a lot and struggle in the heat, so I focused on playing quickly to get back to the hotel. While good shots are essential, the heat helped me stay relaxed and not overthink my game. I just wanted to finish quickly, shower, and enjoy the air-conditioning."
Ham's victory marks him as the second Korean to win this event, following Younghan Song's triumph in 2016 against then-world number one Jordan Spieth.
For John, this performance adds to his accolades as one of Australia's promising talents. He finished second in the 2025/26 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, thanks to three wins, and this event marks his best performance abroad.
Despite missing out on the title, John was thrilled to qualify for The Open. "It's an incredible feeling," said the 23-year-old. "I've dreamed of playing in Major championships my entire life. Coming back home to Australia and achieving this means a lot to me. It's a moment I'll always cherish."
Another Indian golfer, Karandeep Kochhar, shot a 5-over 76 today, finishing 70th with an overall score of 11-over 295.