RISING Zimbabwe professional golfer Kieran Vincent Kieran continues to do well on the Asian Tour where he is now third on the Order of Merit after he tied for a sixth place finish at the Shinga Donghae Open in Korea last week.
The 25-year-old golf star shot rounds of 66,71 71 and 64 to close the competition on 16 Under par 272, three strokes behind winner Guntaek Koh from Korea.
Koh, who is only 21 years old, made it a hat-trick of wins in Korea this season when he claimed the Shinhan Donghae Open on the Ocean Course at Club72, after beating Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off.
Koh, joint overnight leader with Canadian Richard T. Lee, had closed with a four-under-par 68, bravely matching the formidable clubhouse total of 19-under-par set by Phachara – who, playing in seventh from last group out and starting the day five off the lead, shot a remarkable 63.
Lee, Japanese Keita Nakajima and Anthony Quayle from Australia tied in third place two shots behind the winner.
Vincent was in the company of natives Sanghyun Park and Taehoon Ok in sixth place as he recorded his second top 10 finish of the year and sixth of his professional career which is barely 14 months old.
This year alone Vincent has made US$465 652.28 in the 11 competitions that he has taken part in on the Tour largely thanks to his solitary win at the International Series Vietnam in April where he scooped the US$360,000 winners cheque.
After the latest performance Vincent is now third on the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) as well as third on the International Series OOM, giving him a chance to emulate his brother Scott, who won last year’s International Series merit list and is now playing on the LIV Golf League for Iron Heads GC.
- Kieran Vincent continues to shine on Asian Tour
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The International Series OOM is based on prize money won during the season and the Zimbabwean is a far cry behind leader Andy Olgletree who has already raked at least US$915 833 with a handful of tournaments remaining.
On the Asian Tour list, Olgletree has 1 749.52 points with Miguel Yabuena on 1060. 51 and Vincent boasting of 934.46 points.
Vincent also managed to reach his highest of 417 on the Official World Golf Rankings in light of his recent exploits.
The former Liberty University student turned professional last year soon after leaving his Virginia –based institute following six memorable years in which he helped the institute’s golf team the Flames to three consecutive appearances at the NCAA Men’s Golf National Championship.
In his final season with Flames golf Vincent achieved the best stroke average of 71.36 while he also placed the team in five top-10 finishes, including a trio of top-five performances.
It was almost obvious that he would succeed as a professional.
Vincent graduated from Liberty University in May 2020 with a degree in exercise science and completed his Master’s Degree in Human Performance with a focus on nutrition.
Vincent also showed a lot of promise after he finished sixth on debut at the 51st Junior Orange Bowl International Golf Championship in the United States in January 2015 and dropped just one place to close in seventh place the following year..
He guided Zimbabwe to 12th place at the Japan Toyota Junior World Cup as well as finishing 13th out of a field comprising 60 of the world’s best junior golfers in June 2015.
