An Byeong-hun finishes 6th in Phoenix Open

With only one bogey in the first through third rounds, An Byeong-hun was racing ahead as the lone lead, in the high hope that he could win his first career win in the PGA Tour.

While making five bogeys while playing at 18 holes on the final day, however, An made bogeys at Holes 10 and 11 in succession, before Holes 17 and 18, which was highly regretful. He apparently struggled due to heavy mental burden and lost his putting sense.

An started as frontrunner by one-stroke difference with the runner-up and finished sixth overall (14-under 270) after missing two strokes in the final round of the PGA Tour’s Phoenix Open, which ended at TPC Scottsdale (par 71) in Scottsdale, Arizona in the U.S. on Sunday local time. He failed to clinch the trophy, but joined the top 10 players in the fifth event of this season, an outcome that bodes well for his outlook in the PGA Tour where he entered race in earnest. “I failed to survive through just one remaining day," An said. "I deeply regret that I lost birdies at Holes 15 and 16 due to putting errors. I will try my best in the next event."

After being tied for third with a three-stroke gap against An, Hideki Matsuyama, last year’s champion, won the trophy. The Japanese player made five birdies without playing any bogey in the fourth round to post 17-under par overall to tie with Web Simpson of the U.S., before securing a birdie in the fourth playoff to win the championship for two consecutive years.

Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com