Lee Kyoung-hoon ties for 4th at Cognizant Classic

Lee Kyoung-hoon (33) has secured a position in the top 10 on the PGA Tour for the first time in five months.

At the Cognizant Classic, which concluded on Monday at the PGA National Resort Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Lee Kyoung-hoon tied for 4th place with a final total of 13 under par 271 strokes. During the final 4th round the previous day, Lee Kyoung-hoon was two strokes down with three birdies and one bogey through the 13th hole. However, the match was postponed due to bad weather. On the subsequent day, Lee Kyoung-hoon, starting in a tie for 16th place, completed the remaining five holes, adding three birdies at the 14th (par 4), 17th (par 3), and 18th holes (par 5). His outstanding performance earned him $344,250 in prize money.

Lee Kyoung-hoon, who faced a string of underwhelming performances by missing the cut in the last three tournaments (Farmers Insurance Open, WM Phoenix Open, Mexico Open), has made a noteworthy comeback by securing a spot in the top 10 for the first time since the Shriners Children's Open in October last year (tied for 7th). "My performance hasn't been up to par lately, but I see this as an opportunity to bounce back. Throughout this week, I gained confidence and witnessed improvements," Lee Kyoung-hoon commented, reflecting on his recent struggles. "With plenty of the season still ahead, I believe I can achieve positive outcomes with hard work."

Looking ahead, Lee Kyoung-hoon is set to participate in the Players Championship, often referred to as the 5th major tournament, commencing on March 14. "This tournament has been a dream of mine since childhood," Lee said. "I will prepare diligently to attain favorable results."


Hong-Gu Kang windup@donga.com