Korea Championship
After playing the majority of his early 2023 schedule on the PGA Tour, Australian Lucas Herbert returned to the DP World Tour and won last weekend's ISPS Handa Championship in Japan via a playoff over Canadian Aaron Cockerill. Herbert, a 22-1 shot, played it smart and picked up valuable OWGR points, rising to No. 42 in the world and essentially clinching his spot in the major championships for the year.
This week, the DP World Tour stays in Asia for the inaugural Korea Championship in Incheon, South Korea, as a co-sanctioned event between the DPWT and the Korean Tour with Genesis Motor, headquartered in Seoul, as the event's presenting sponsor.
Rasmus Hojgaard returned last week from injury after three months off to finish 16th in Japan. He is the 16-1 co-favorite along with Jordan Smith, who finished T-6 last week along with Robert MacIntyre (18-1).
Adrian Meronk (20-1) had a couple of solid events on the PGA Tour in the last couple of months, but at 63 in the OWGR, he is attempting to do what Herbert did last week and get into the Top 50 to earn spots in the PGA and U.S. Open. Yannik Paul (22-1) has finished T-6, second and second in his last three events. Antoine Rozner (25-1) has three top-6 finishes in his last five events.
The Course
Last week's Jack Nicklaus design in Japan was more of a shorter, parklands design. This week's is a longer par-72 of 7,470 yards.
The Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea has been carved from reclaimed land close to the airport and is close enough to the sea for it to have a coastal feel without actually flanking the coast.
This course also hosted the 2015 Presidents Cup which featured a narrow 15.5-14.5 victory for Team USA over the Internationals.
Bentgrass is also used tee to green here.
Selections
Adrian Meronk (18-1, SuperBook Sports)
Meronk returns to the course after missing the cut in his first Masters three weeks ago.
He is currently in the British Open field at Royal Liverpool later this summer but still needs to move up just a couple of spots to get into the PGA and U.S. Open.
Meronk currently rates No. 2 on the DPWT for Strokes Gained Off The Tee.
Robert MacIntyre (20-1, BetMGM)
The big-hitting Scotsman powered his way to a finish of sixth last week in Japan.
This Nicklaus course fits him much better as he can be aggressive off the tee.
He ranks seventh for Strokes Gained Off The Tee and 14th for Greens In Regulation on the DPWT.
Yannik Paul (25-1, SuperBook Sports)
Unlike Meronk, Paul gains more on approach, where he ranks third on the DPWT.
He is also seventh for Strokes Gained Tee To Green and 11th for Greens In Regulation.
Paul finished T-6 last week in Japan and posted back-to-back runner-up finishes earlier in February at the Indian Open and Thailand Classic, so he has shown top-notch play in Asia already this year.
Grant Forrest (35-1, SuperBook Sports)
Forrest is sneaky good form with five top-13 finishes in his last seven events, including a T-4 last week in Japan.
The Scotsman is one of the bigger hitters on the DPWT (23rd for Driving Distance), but his all-around game has been solid this season.
Jazz Janewattananond (40-1, DraftKings)
Jazzy J has posted seven top-20s in his last nine events, including four top-10s in his last four events.
Jazz ranks sixth on the DPWT for Greens In Regulation and 18th for Strokes Gained Approach.
Guido Migliozzi (50-1, SuperBook Sports)
Migliozzi finished just 23rd in Japan last week but ranked third for Strokes Gained Off The Tee and 14th for Strokes Gained Approach.
The Italian is going to want to be peaking at the right time this week as his home open is next week.