Cool head wins rookie Rowe top Seoul prize
Scott Rowe, who turned professional last July, won Hong Kong's biggest golfing prize when he captured the 17th Korean Maekyung LG Fashion Open in Seoul.
Scott became the first Hong Kong golfer to win an event on the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation's Asian Tour following his 54-hole aggregate of 12-under-par 204.
The 23-year-old Chicago-based golfer finished four shots clear of Korean Steve Kwon Young-suk over the 7,052-yard West Course at the Lakeside Country Club.
'I can't believe I have done this,' said Scott, who comes from a distinguished golfing family, and who won first prize of US$42,402 (HK$326,495).
By winning the Seoul event, Rowe rose to fourth place in the Asian Tour's final Order of Merit.
Scott also became the circuit's Rookie of the Year ensuring him a two-year exemption on the Tour.
Scott said he would compete in this November's Hong Kong Open and several Omega Asian PGA Tour events.
He will take part in the qualifying school for the Canadian Tour next week and then embark on the Golden Bear circuit in Florida.
'I received a red jacket for winning the Korean Open and I'll be hanging that in the closet. Maybe next year I'll have a green jacket [from the US Masters] to go alongside it,' Scott joked.
He followed an opening-day 67 with a 68 on day two, which gave him a three-stroke advantage at the half-way stage. He took that score into the final day after the third round was cancelled due to bad weather. Scott said: 'I was nervous throughout the final round, and I kept telling myself to stay cool and get the job done.'
