Soomin Lee wins Shenzen International for maiden title

Soomin Lee. Picture: Getty Images

Paul Dunne finished par-bogey to end up tied 31st as Soomin Lee went wire-to-wire at the Shenzhen International to claim his maiden European Tour title in just his sixth start.

The Korean began the day in a share of top spot with five holes to play and a birdie on the 16th, followed by a superb eagle on the 17th, helped him sign for a closing 71 and clinch a two-shot victory on 16 under par.

Dunne was three over for his round with two holes to play when play was suspended on Sunday. But he finished by dropping another shot at the last for a four over, birdie-tree 76 that relegated him 22 places to tied 31st on four under.

The only silver ling for Dunne on the final day was a cheque for € 20,164 that moved him up 24 places to 90th in the Race to Dubai with 76,500 points (Euro) from seven starts.

As for the winner, he is now 10th in the money list with 658,497 thanks to a cheque for €412,353.

The victory more than makes up for February’s Maybank Championship Malaysia, where the 22-year old from Seoul led by three shots heading into the final round before suffering two double bogeys in the final three holes to eventually finish runner up.

In share of second place were Joost Luiten of the Netherlands and South African Brandon Stone, who both finished on 14 under par courtesy of a pair of four under par final rounds of 68.

The 22 year old finished in the top three on his European Tour debut at the UBS Hong Kong Open before that drama at Selangor Golf Club and now enters the winner's circle in just his sixth start.

"I got a big chance in Malaysia but I didn't make it because I was really, really nervous. Now I made it,” said Lee, who moved comfortably into the world’s Top 80 from 128th.

"Yesterday I was really, really nervous. We had a lot of break times and then played again so that’s really good for me and I just thought about my golf and then competed until I could do it.

“I'm really happy. I was excited this weekend. My first European Tour win in just six events, it's really incredible. I am really happy and really proud of myself.

“I started on 14 and had a two metre putt, but I made it. So I had confidence and then I made a good par save, before the birdie and the eagle.

“Yesterday I was actually really, really nervous. But I got a break overnight and then this morning, I felt really comfortable.

“I’m very happy with how my game is improving and I am really excited about the future. I'll just enjoy it now and I really, really want to play on the European Tour now.

“My goals now are of course to play the Major Championships, and hopefully win one someday, so I want to move into the top 50 in the world.”

Joost Luiten

“It was a nice birdie on the last to give myself a chance, but I just came up short. But it's been another really good week for me - I played some consistent golf and I was good on the greens. 

“If I look back on the third round, when I shot level par, I just didn't score well enough, and that's maybe that little bit that I needed, but it's been a good week. Those delays, you've just got to deal with them. Everybody's got to deal with them and you just need to be ready when you need to play, and I've done that well this week.

“I stayed patient and I tried to be as ready as I could when I was out on the golf course. That's all you can do, and that's all you can focus on.”

Brandon Stone

“I played great, I really did, from Thursday all the way to Monday - I've really hit the ball great.  I’ve been hitting some great putts that just aren't finding the hole.

“It was a little bit frustrating in the end there. I hit some great putts on 16 and 17 that really should have gone in - I thought they were in the whole way. But 14 under par, sitting second, you can't really complain.

“It was definitely exciting. I said to my caddie, we've just got to give ourselves a chance every hole, and that's what we did.

“We gave ourselves a chance and that's all we can do today. I played great the whole week, but like I said, it’s a little bit disappointing. It’s a little bit bittersweet, but still a great week nonetheless.”

Shenzen International, Genzon Golf Club (Par 72) - Final

272 S Lee (Kor) 66 65 70 71,

274 J Luiten (Ned) 68 66 72 68, B Stone (RSA) 67 70 69 68, 

275 S Hend (Aus) 71 65 73 66, L Slattery (Eng) 70 66 68 71, A Levy (Fra) 66 72 66 71, 

277 B Dredge (Wal) 70 67 68 72, 

278 T Olesen (Den) 71 70 67 70, N Elvira  (Esp) 70 68 72 68, B Watson (USA) 71 69 72 66, R Karlberg  (Swe) 73 69 69 67, 

279 T Hatton (Eng) 72 72 68 67, 

280 M Ilonen  (Fin) 72 70 68 70, J Quesne  (Fra) 72 70 67 71, M Jiménez (Esp) 71 70 70 69, 

281 D Zecheng (Chn) 72 72 67 70, R Fisher (Eng) 70 69 72 70, F Zanotti (Par) 73 69 69 70, 

282 S Gros (Fra) 70 71 68 73, R Bland (Eng) 71 73 69 69, T Fleetwood  (Eng) 69 69 72 72, S Benson (Eng) 72 71 66 73, M Southgate  (Eng) 74 67 69 72, 

283 A Quiros  (Esp) 70 69 72 72, C Shinkwin (Eng) 71 71 62 79, E De La Riva  (Esp) 68 72 69 74, R Ramsay  (Sco) 69 66 71 77, R Jacquelin (Fra) 68 72 72 71, M Manassero (Ita) 70 69 72 72, M Korhonen (Fin) 71 70 70 72, 

284 P Dunne (Irl) 68 69 71 76, G Bourdy (Fra) 74 70 70 70, P Edberg (Swe) 72 71 71 70, R Wattel  (Fra) 70 70 71 73, 

285 D Fichardt (RSA) 70 71 72 72, B Virto Astudillo (Esp) 69 72 72 72, N Holman  (Aus) 69 72 68 76, 

286 C Zi-Hao (Chn) 72 72 71 71, J Campillo (Esp) 70 71 73 72, D Dixon (Eng) 72 68 73 73, J Morrison  (Eng) 70 73 72 71, K Broberg (Swe) 71 70 69 76, G Boyd  (Eng) 73 71 70 72, P Hanson (Swe) 74 70 72 70, 

287 G Storm  (Eng) 71 71 74 71, J McLeary  (Sco) 72 69 72 74, D Drysdale (Sco) 73 70 71 73, A Otaegui  (Esp) 72 72 73 70, R Kakko  (Fin) 76 68 68 75, G Havret  (Fra) 74 69 72 72, 

288 M Madsen  (Den) 74 70 74 70, S Chawrasia (Ind) 72 68 75 73, D Brooks (Eng) 71 70 70 77, 

289 Y Yang (Kor) 74 69 72 74, Y Tian (Chn) 70 71 75 73, C Lee (Sco) 72 70 74 73, W Ormsby (Aus) 70 72 75 72, 

290 N Fasth (Swe) 73 68 79 70, F Aguilar (Chi) 70 74 74 72, H Porteous (RSA) 73 70 73 74, N Colsaerts  (Bel) 72 72 73 73, R Davies (Wal) 70 71 78 71, 

291 H Shao-Cai (Chn) 72 71 75 73, M Carlsson  (Swe) 72 70 76 73, 

292 H Wen-Yi (Chn) 74 70 75 73, H Chi-Hsien (Tpe) 74 70 73 75, K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 71 72 73 76, 

293 R Paratore (Ita) 75 67 73 78, S Gallacher (Sco) 70 72 73 78, 

294 S Khan (Eng) 72 72 73 77, 

RET G Stal  (Fra) 68 71 RT.