Ham Jung-woo plays an iron shot from the fairway. [Courtesy of KPGA]
Ham Jung-woo plays an iron shot from the fairway. [Courtesy of KPGA]

Ham Jung-woo (32,Hana Financial Group) will compete in The 154th Open Championship, to be held Thursday through Sunday at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England.

Ham secured his place in the field by winning the Asian Tour's Singapore Open at Sentosa Golf Club in April. The tournament's champion and runner-up both earn spots in The Open.

The victory — his first on the Asian Tour and his first on any overseas professional tour — proved he can compete beyond the Korean circuit. He now takes that momentum to his first major championship.

"The Open is a stage every golfer wants to play at least once," Ham said. "Rather than feeling pressure to perform well, I just want to focus on my own game moment by moment. It's a links course with a lot of wind, so there will be plenty of variables, but I want to stay calm and show Korean fans something to be proud of."

Ham has four career wins on the KPGA Tour and received the Genesis Award in 2023, given to the tour's best player of the season. Known for his consistent course management and steady play, he has established himself as one of the top players in Korean golf.

Royal Birkdale, hosting The Open for the 11th time since its first staging of the championship in 1954, is defined by the hallmarks of traditional links golf — fierce coastal winds, deep bunkers and firm fairways. Jordan Spieth lifted the Claret Jug there in 2017.

During the official practice period, Ham plans to familiarize himself with the course's turf, wind direction and intensity, and develop a game plan for a range of weather conditions.


yjc@heraldcorp.com