The European Tour crowned its youngest-ever champion on its European Challenge Tour on Sunday, as 17-year-old Korean Min-kyu Kim won the D+D Real Czech Challenge by three shots.
Kim, who was ranked 715th in the Official World Golf Ranking coming into this week, was playing his fifth week in a row and his seventh-consecutive Challenge Tour event, having missed the cut in three of the previous six. However, Kim had won twice in a row and had a second-place finish on the EuroPro Tour, which indicated he was ready to step up in competition.
With a 20-under total at Golf and Spa Kuneticka Hora in the Czech Republic, Kim beat Sebastian Soderberg for the win. Kim birdied nine of the final 12 holes on Sunday to lock up his maiden Challenge Tour title and get a step closer to European Tour membership through the Road to Ras al Khaimah.
The Korean teen became the youngest winner on either the European Tour or European Challenge Tour. Matteo Manassero remains the youngest winner on the European Tour. Manassero won the Castello Masters in 2010 at the age of 17 years, 188 days old.
