GS CALTEX MAEKYUNG OPEN RELATED STORIES GS Caltex Maekyung Open home page GS Caltex Maekyung Open Preview Round 1: Kang leads as locals dominate day one Round 2: Hwang and Jun tie for halfway lead Round 3: Noh leads for last round shot at history Round 4: Hwang edges out Noh in a playoff Final Scores & Prize Money GS Caltex Maekyung Open Latest Odds and Betting About the Nam Seoul CC course Six to watch this week 2007 flashback - Kim shows golden touch Noh looking to be youngest Tour winner MORE ASIAN GOLF NEWS Han Will Speak At IHT Sports Summit Volvik Agree With Asian Tour Over Sponsorship Memories Inspire Rai In Singapore Break Gives Mamat Route To Success Singapore Classic Welcomes Kia Motors PGA Malaysia Moves To OneAsia CCM Extends Sponsorship Of Impian Masters Faldo To Play In Pro-Am In Cambodia

 Event Preview - Kim leads hunt for fourth straight local win

Defending champion Kim Kyung-tae of Korea will lead the local charge at next week’s GS Caltex Maekyung Open with the intention of keeping the trophy firmly on home soil for the fourth straight year.

Former British Open winner Mark Calcavecchia of United States was the last international winner in the 2004 edition but since then, the popular event has been dominated by home bred stars through the success of Choi Sang-ho (2005), Suk Jong-yul (2006) and Kim last year.

The talented Kim, winner of the Asian Games gold medal in 2006 before turning professional, continued the home success 12 months ago when he enjoyed an emphatic five-stroke triumph over Liang Wen-chong of China at the Nam Seoul Country Club.

Following his maiden Asian Tour victory, Kim subsequently produced a runner-up finish and another top-20 in 2007. This season, he has played in five tournaments but has missed the cut in four of those.

The 21-year-old young gun will head the field which also includes compatriot and fellow Asian Tour winners Lee Sung and Bae Sang-moon. Lee was victorious at the Bangkok Airways Open while Bae triumphed in the SK Telecom Open last season.

Other Asian Tour stalwarts who will be shooting for the top prize at the US$600,000 Asian Tour event include Thai duo and former Asian Tour number ones Thaworn Wiratchant and Thongchai Jaidee, Filipino Juvic Pagunsan, who tasted his maiden win on the Asian Tour last season, compatriot Artemio Murakami, Singapore’s Mardan Mamat and Malaysia’s Iain Steel.

The 2008 GS Caltex Maekyung Open will be the 11th event on the burgeoning Asian Tour Schedule and the second out of three tournaments to be staged in Korea this season.

April 25, 2008