Deaf Golfer Lee Flies High in Bangkok Airways Open
South Korea’s deaf golfer Lee Sung dedicated his first title on the Asian Tour to his coach and brother Lee Sung-joo after a wire-to-wire victory at the Bangkok Airways Open on the Thai resort of Santiburi Samui Country Club.
Lee closed with an even-par 71 for a winning total of 16-under-par 268, three strokes ahead of Thailand’s Prayad Marsaeng, who shot 66 in his last round. Lee, who shot a course record 62 on Saturday, communicates with his brother by lip reading and expects to have his sibling carry his bag for the rest of the season, as he said on the Asian Tour website:
“I am extremely happy with my win today, thanks to my brother who has been very good this week. I hope to have him on the bag for the rest of the season. I have been working on my swing with my brother for the past two years and it finally paid off this week.”
Lee fired three birdies against one bogey in his final round on Sunday to stay ahead of Prayad, who finished five shots ahead of another Thai player, Prom Meesawat, and Japan’s Taichiro Kiyota. In fifth place, on 275, was Singapore’s Mardan Mamat, who last week had a joint second-place finish at the European Tour’s Celtic Manor Wales Open.
The course record of 62 that Lee set on Saturday was matched in the final round by Australian Mitchell Brown, who helped himself to joint 15th place on 280.