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UNSUNG HERO

Unheralded South Korean golfer stealing the show among elite company in Houston

Sung Kang is playing the golf of his life with a spot at the US Masters up for grabs.

A WEEK OUT from the US Masters you’d expect some of Augusta’s likely contenders to be leading the charge at the Houston Open but it’s Sung Kang of South Korea who is so far stealing the show.

The 29-year-old, who turns 30 on Thursday, has produced two near-flawless rounds to storm to the top of the leaderboard on 16-under par, which is currently good enough for a remarkable six-shot lead.

Ranked 202nd in the world, Kang finished his first round on six-under par, just one shot behind overnight leader Rickie Fowler.

If yesterday’s 65 was impressive, today’s effort of 63 has really got people talking as Kang registered a bogey-free round that contained seven birdies and an eagle.

While many of the tournament’s big names are yet to begin their second rounds, including Fowler, Keegan Bradley (-5) and Jason Dufner (-4), they will have quite a job on their hands to catch Kang should he continue in the same vein over the weekend.

Kang’s three career wins to date have all been on the Korean Tour, the last of which coming in 2013, while in 2009 he lost out in a European Tour play-off to Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee with the Ballantine’s Championship at stake.

Kang’s only experience of Majors have thus far come at the US Open — in 2011 and 2016 — but with a coveted spot at the US Masters on offer for the winner in Houston, he could yet find himself teeing it up at Augusta National next Thursday.

He’s been particularly hot with the putter over the last couple of days but going by the below effort he pulled out yesterday, he’s got plenty of skills in the locker.

You can keep up to date with the day’s scoring as it develops right here.

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