Having conquered EPGA, Lee Soo-min eyes Olympics

Lee Soo-min (23) won a European PGA tour title for the first time in his career, kicking off a race among the Korean golfers to participate in the upcoming Summer Olympics.

In the fourth round of the Shenzhen International held at Genzon Golf Club (par 72) in Shenzhen, China on Monday, Lee had two bogeys and one double bogey, but cut the number of his strokes by one by garnering three birdies and one eagle. He posted 16-under 272 overall to win the title plus prize money of 412,353 euros (464,184 U.S. dollars), by beating over runner-ups the Netherlands' Joost Luiten and South Africa's Brandon Stone by two strokes.

Lee took part in the event as an invited player due to his lack of official membership, but he now has secured her berth for the European Tour tournaments for two years through the 2018 season, something he always aimed at. “A fairytale-like incident has happened," Lee said. "I was nervous, but the tournament was suspended often, which gave me time to think."

It is the first time in 11 months that a Korean golfer has won a European tour since Ahn Byung-hoon in May 2015. Lee has become the seventh EPGA champion from Korea after Choi Kyung-joo, Wi Chang-soo, Yang Yong-eun, Noh Seung-yul, Jeong Yeon-jin, and Ahn Byung-hoon.

Lee, who had only completed Hole 13 through Sunday due to bad weather, was tying for first through Hole 15 on Monday. He had birdie at Hole 16 (par 3) and succeeded in a 7.5-meter eagle putting at Hole 17 (par 5) to secure wire-to-wire win.

Lee skied during his childhood as he was influenced by his father, an athletic skier. He started golf as an elementary fourth grader, and won the KPGA Tour’s Gunsan Open in 2013 as an amateur.

Despite a difficult time for failing to join the national team for the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, Lee won the Gunsan Open as his first career victory last year to receive the rookie of the year award. Lee ranked 128th in world rankings last week, and fifth among the Korean golfers after Ahn Byung-hoon (31st), Kim Kyung-tae (62nd), Choi Kyung-joo (101st) and Song Yong-han (122nd).

With his latest title, Lee jumped in rankings to 75th, and is seeing glimmers of hope to participate in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics that is open to up to two players from each country.

김종석기자 kjs0123@donga.com