The DP World Tour heads to South Korea this week for the Korea Championship. FInd out why Damien Kayat reckons a certain Pole could snatch victory on the peninsula this week.
2022/2023 DP World Tour/Korea Tour
Korea Championship
Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea, Incheon, South Korea
27th-30th April
Lucas Herbert won an absolutely sensational playoff against Canadian Adam Cockerill to win last week’s co-sanctioned ISPA Handa Championship in Japan.
It was an impressive victory for the Aussie and his 3rd DP World Tour title. The tour stays in Asia and finds itself at yet another Jack Nicklaus design. If there is a first-time event hosted on the DP World Tour, chances are it will be hosted by a course designed by the ‘Golden Bear’.
The Korea Championship
The DP World Tour hosted back-to-back tournaments in Nicklaus designs back in March. So, let’s call this the final stage of the Jack Nicklaus Swing- shall we.
This tournament is co-sanctioned with the Korea Tour and will be the inaugural staging of this event. It will be the last event hosted in Asia before the tour returns to mainland Europe for the Italian Open next week.
Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea
The Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea is a peculiar layout that isn’t unfamiliar to most viewers.
It is almost a hybrid course that takes in both the urban and natural qualities of the surrounding areas. High-rise buildings give way to beautiful natural scenery in a manner of seconds.
It’s actually made up of two bent grass nine-hole courses called the Urban and the Links. It is nearly 7,500 yards and should open itself up to the big hitters.
Water and wind are the two big defences of the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea. It was opened in 2010 and was used for the Songdo Championship on the Champions Tour. Most people will remember this course for hosting the 2015 edition of the President’s Cup.
It has hosted the Genesis Championship on the Korean Tour since 2017. Scores vacillate hugely on whether there’s wind about this week. One thing I will say: the Asian players struggled in comparison with their European rivals last week.
Also, I would probably be inclined to back those who teed it up at PGM Ishioka Golf Club last week. The returning players haven’t played in an age and that familiarity at a Nicklaus layout has to count for something.
The Contenders
Robert Macintyre has got his shaky campaign back on the road with back-to-back top-10 finishes. Still, I’m always hesitant to back the current Italian Open champion.
It’s almost as if the DP World Tour is hyping him up a little too much (they want their own Scottish Mickelson). Rasmus Hojgaard has proved more reliable in contention and will be looking to win his 4th DP World Tour title.
Jordan Smith is a perennial contender while Yannik Paul comes into this off the back of three consecutive top 6 finishes. So, there is no shortage of legitimate contenders this week.
Past Winners
N/A
To Win Outright:
Robert Macintyre 16/1 | Jordan Smith 16/1 | Rasmus Hojgaard 18/1 | Yannik Paul 20/1 | Adrian Meronk 20/1
Value Bets
Callum Hill- To Win 33/1 | To Place 7/1
This is one in keeping with my tipping advice this week. His 3rd place finish in Japan shows a real level of comfort with Jack Nicklaus layouts. It was exactly what Hill needed after his torrid injury issues in 2022. He was 3rd for Approach last week and 2nd for Tee-to-Green. This is ideal for this week’s test (which will reward a long performance from tee-to-green). His breakthrough win came at the 2021 Cazoo Classic (another Jack Nicklaus design). That came a week after he finished 4th at the Hero Open. I think he looks great value to make it back-to-back strong finishes.
Guido Migliozzi- To Win 45/1 | To Place 19/2
Italian Guido Migliozzi is a nice sleeper pick this year. The talented powerhouse has been in dreadful form since winning last year’s Open de France. He has played 10 events since then and has missed more cuts than he has made (his best finish in that span was a 20th). But last week’s 3rd round 64 was a massive indicator that he could be on the up-and-up. He faded to finish in 23rd on Sunday. But he has some golf under his belt and looks primed for another tilt at a Nicklaus course.
The Man to Beat- Adrian Meronk- To Win 20/1 | To PLace 44/10
Now I know that Adrian Meronk didn’t compete in Japan last week. But he does return from a fairly successful stint in the States. The 29-year-old Pole traveled to the States for five events. He was T45 at the Genesis Invitational, T14 at the Honda Classic, MC at the Arnold Palmer, T17 at the WGC Match-Play and MC at the Masters. He should be in decent nick to take on this field. He won the ISPS Handa Australian Open earlier this year before solid showings at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and Ras Al Khaimah Championship.
