Lloyd pips teenager Kim to the post
22/12/2017
Chris Lloyd won the 2017 Race to Amendoeira, but this season’s Hotelplanner.com PGA Europro Tour will perhaps be remembered more for the emergence of Korean teenage sensation Min Kyu Kim.
Lloyd’s name was top of the money list after he picked up earnings of £37,695, largely thanks to three wins on Europe’s leading development tour.
A third place in The IFX Championship in May was followed up by back-to-back victories in June. Rounds of 66, 65 and 67 saw him Lloyd finish two shots ahead of Michael Stewart to win the Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters.
Just days later Lloyd was posing for another winner’s picture after getting the better of Alasdair Dalgliesh in a play-off to claim The PDC Golf Championship.
Lloyd had to wait over a month before his next success, which came at The Nokia Masters, where a total of 202 (14-under par) was enough to celebrate a two-shot victory.
The Kendleshire representative failed to make an impact in the latter part of the season but had already done enough to finish top of the money list, although teenager Kim was breathing down his neck.
The 16-year-old made it onto the Tour after coming through Qualifying School back in April and enjoyed a phenomenal debut season.
He was one of three young Koreans who were given permission to qualify by The PGA despite their young age. Fifteen-year-old Yeong Bin Lee didn’t make it past the first stage of qualifying, while Hee Min Chang, also 15, missed the cut at Qualifying School but was given entry and went on to finish 118th.
Kim, who only turned 16 back in March, flirted with the top five on two occasions before finishing fifth at The Motocaddy Masters at the beginning of August.
That was the start of things to come in what proved to be a hugely eventful month for the teenager who went on to win both The Pentahotels Championship and The “FORE” Business Championship in quick succession.
Kim finished his season on a positive note after claiming second place at the season finale – the Sky Sports Tour Championship at the Oceanico Faldo Course in Portugal.
Like Kim, Adam Chapman also came through Qualifying School at the start of the season and was ranked 54th ahead of the final event in October.
But Champan saved his best performance until last to claim a wire-to-wire victory in Portugal. That win earned the Carus Green Golf Club player a cheque for £22,540 which saw him shoot up the rankings to finish third and earn a Challenge Tour Card for 2018.
Nick Marsh was victorious in a play-off at Longhirst Hall to win the Dawson & Sanderson Classic at the beginning of July. That win set him on his way to finishing fourth in the money list, while Jonathan Caldwell, winner of the COBRA PUMA GOLF Championship, sneaked into fifth to claim the final Challenge Tour spot.
One player who will be disappointed not to have finished in the top five is James Adams, who despite winning the Motocaddy Masters and the Clipper Logistics Championship, had to settle for sixth.
