Staff WriterJeongwoo Ham turned the Singapore Open into a four-day examination of patience, putting and perspiration, then passed the final paper with a wire-to-wire victory at The Serapong that was far less comfortable than the scorecard first suggests.
The Korean closed with a three-under-par 68 to finish on 16-under, two shots clear of Australia’s Cameron John, who fired a terrific 66 and spent the back nine behaving like a man trying to steal the furniture before anyone noticed.
Spain’s Josele Ballester, Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Japan’s Tomohiro Ishizaka shared third, seven shots behind Ham, but this was never really a crowd scene. It was Ham versus John, nerve versus nerve, in the sort of humidity that makes a glove feel like a wet sandwich.
A Wire-To-Wire Win With Major Stakes
Ham’s victory in the Singapore Open presented by The Business Times was not merely a trophy-lifting exercise. It also secured him a place in The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, with the event forming part of the Open Qualifying Series.
John, despite finishing runner-up, also earned his ticket to the game’s oldest Major, which should take some of the sting out of being beaten by a man whose putter behaved like it had been given inside information.
For Ham, this was a landmark result: his first Asian Tour victory in only 24 starts, 16 of which have come on home soil. For a player with four Korean PGA Tour wins already behind him, including the Golfzon-Toray Open two years ago, it was a performance that travelled well.
Lightning Stops Play, But Not Ham
The final round had already begun under the sort of heat that makes concentration feel like a luxury item. Then the weather changed its mind entirely.
After three days of oppressive heat and humidity, the skies darkened and play was suspended at 11.47am because of lightning. The delay lasted just over three and a half hours.
At that stage, Ham had completed seven holes and still led John by three. When play resumed at 3.30pm, he immediately faced one of those awkward little moments that can either steady a round or send it sliding into the ornamental shrubbery.
On the eighth, Ham holed a 10-foot par putt. On the ninth, he knocked in another from four feet. Neither will make the tournament poster, but both mattered enormously.
Cameron John Turns Up The Heat
John, 23, refused to be decorative. He holed a 25-footer for birdie on the ninth to reduce Ham’s lead to two, then cut it to one with a brilliant birdie from 15 feet at the 11th.
Suddenly, the Singapore Open had a pulse like a drum solo.
The 13th gave the final round its defining exchange. Ham splashed in from a bunker for birdie, the sort of shot that usually breaks an opponent’s spirit and occasionally causes a caddie to stare into the middle distance. John, however, answered by holing a 40-foot birdie putt of his own.
At the par-three 14th, Ham rolled in from 12 feet. John followed from seven. Still one shot. Still no blinking.
Both missed birdie chances at the 15th. Both missed makeable birdie looks at the 17th. By the time they reached the par-five 18th, Ham still led by one and the whole thing had the feeling of a man trying to carry a tray of drinks through a revolving door.
Ham Finishes Like A Champion
Ham finally sealed it at the last. He reached the back of the 18th green in two and safely two-putted for birdie.
John made par, though he almost chipped in for eagle from just off the green, because apparently the young Australian felt the finish needed one last raised eyebrow.
Ham’s closing birdie gave him a two-shot victory and a place in Singapore Open history as the second Korean to win the national championship. Younghan Song was the first, defeating then world number one Jordan Spieth by one shot on The Serapong in 2016.
Ham Credits His Putter And The Air-Conditioning
Said Ham: “Honestly, I sweat a lot and struggle in the heat, so I just kept thinking: play quickly, get through it, and get back to the hotel as soon as possible.
“Of course you still need to hit good shots, but because it was so hot, I actually wasn’t overthinking the golf too much. That probably helped me stay relaxed. I just wanted to finish quickly, shower, and lie down under the air-conditioning.”
That is not exactly the language of a man composing poetry beneath tropical skies, but it is beautifully honest. Sometimes championship golf is not about transcendence. Sometimes it is about surviving the heat, rolling in six-footers and dreaming of a hotel room with the thermostat set to arctic.
“My putting was really good today. I’d say the putter saved me for around six shots. Thankfully, the putter worked well and helped me keep the momentum going,” added the Korean.
John’s Runner-Up Finish Still Opens A Major Door
For John, this was another major step in a rapidly accelerating career. He finished second on the 2025/26 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit after three wins, and his performance at Sentosa now stands as his finest overseas result.
The title slipped away, but the consolation was enormous: a place in The Open.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” said the 23-year-old.
“I’ve wanted to play in Major championships my whole life. I came close back home in Australia, so to come over here and get it done means a lot. It’s something I’ll never forget.
“My game feels like it’s in a really good place. Today was a different test mentally. The Open spot was definitely on my mind, but I felt like I managed it well. Looking back, it’s been an incredible year and I’m really grateful for the people around me who support and help me.
What This Means For The Asian Tour
The Singapore Open result carries weight beyond one week at Sentosa. Ham’s victory strengthens his position on The International Series Rankings, while John’s performance under pressure marks him out as a player worth watching well beyond Australia.
The Asian Tour now heads quickly to the GS Caltex Maekyung Open, one of Korea’s most prestigious events, staged at Namseoul Country Club, south of Seoul.
Korea’s Doyeob Mun warmed up for his title defence with a sharp 65 to climb into a tie for sixth, while Ryan Ang closed with a 66 to finish as the leading Singaporean in joint 12th.
The International Series has also launched a new website and app, giving fans live leaderboards, player rankings and full tournament coverage.
Final Word
Ham’s Singapore Open victory was built on control, not fireworks. He led from the front, survived the weather delay, absorbed John’s back-nine charge and leaned on a putter that seemed to have a calming influence on everything except the opposition.
At The Serapong, where danger is never far away and pressure tends to arrive wearing golf shoes, Jeongwoo Ham looked hot, tired and utterly determined.
That, more often than not, is what winning looks like.
