Ben An hits perhaps the shot of the year, then tops Tom Kim in playoff in Korea:https://t.co/E9EMvH5Ppv
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) October 27, 2024
Incheon, South Korea – In a thrilling finale at the Genesis Championship, Ben An pulled off what many are calling the shot of the year. Trailing by two with only four holes remaining, An’s risky 290-yard driver off the fairway on the 15th hole turned the tides, setting up an extraordinary birdie that led to an eventual playoff victory over Tom Kim at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club.
Ben An’s bold decision to take a driver from the wet fairway on a par-5 was a high-stakes move with water hazards and rocks looming on the left side. As the TV announcer described it: “This is a big gamble here.” The ball landed perfectly, rolling just nine feet past the hole and sparking cheers from the home crowd. An capitalized with a two-putt birdie, part of a flawless closing stretch that included three birdies in the last four holes, finishing at 5-under 67 and 17 under for the tournament.
Tom Kim, who was co-leading as An delivered his daring drive, had his chance to secure victory in regulation play but missed an eight-foot birdie putt on the final hole. The tournament went to a playoff, where An’s steady hand won out. Kim struggled with a bogey on the par-5 18th, leaving An just two short putts to claim his second DP World Tour title and his first since the 2015 BMW PGA Championship. An needed only one.
Ben An’s Impressive Win Leaves Fans in Awe
WHAT A SHOT!! @ByeongHunAn with driver off the deck for one of the shots of the year. #GenesisChampionship pic.twitter.com/0MVlJZhIEE
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) October 27, 2024
“All I tried to do is show some great golf in front of the home fans; it’s been a while since I’ve played in front of them,” An shared after the win. “It’s a bit of a shame that Tom had a bit of a mess there, but it’s been a great tournament for me. I just got a little bit lucky to be a winner out there today.”
With this victory, An has now achieved six worldwide top-10 finishes this year and moved to No. 27 in the Official World Golf Ranking, approaching his career-high position. The victory delighted the South Korean fans and marked a memorable moment for An, who later described the triumph as a “sweet ending for this year.”
Ben An’s standout performance overshadowed the notable third-place finish by Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia, who leaped 54 spots in the Race to Dubai rankings but narrowly missed the top 70 to qualify for the playoff opener in Abu Dhabi. Gouveia, however, secured his DP World Tour card for next year, commenting, “I’m obviously over the moon just to keep my rights for next year, it’s unbelievable.”
Other competitors also fought for their season standings, with Marco Penge, Casey Jarvis, and Francesco Laporta all achieving critical finishes to secure their cards or improve standings in the DP World Tour Race to Dubai.
In the end, though, it was Ben An’s clutch play and unforgettable shot that captured the hearts of fans and made this Genesis Championship one for the history books.
