SEOUL — The Korea Open finished in bizarre circumstances on Sunday with Kang Sung-hoon celebrating a one-shot victory after a controversial penalty for Kim Hyung-tae and poor putting by Rory McIlroy ended their title hopes. Overnight leader Kim was on course for victory standing on the 17th tee but was told by an official he had been penalised two strokes for grounding a club in an area deemed to be a hazard on the 13th hole. The South Korean then bogeyed the 17th and could only par the 18th to miss out on the OneAsia title. Kim then decided to go back to the scene of the crime on the 13th and argued for two hours that he had not grounded his club before finally accepting his penalty and signing his card for a six-over-par 77. That left compatriot Kang Sung-hoon, who carded a final round 69, to bag the title as Kim finished tied second on three-under with McIlroy and South Korean trio of Lee Sang-hee, Mo Joong-kyung and amateur Lee Chang-woo. Hend takes Macau Open Australian long hitter Scott Hend claimed victory at the Macau Open Sunday as the tournament's star draw Ernie Els was forced to content himself with third place. On a day of drama in the $800,000 Asian Tour tournament, which also saw India's Anirban Lahiri match the course record with an impressive nine-under-par 62, Hend capitaliZed on his overnight four-shot lead and never let Els come close to staging a comeback. He finished the tournament with a three-stroke victory, closing with a four-under-par 67 for a 16-under-par 268 total. Lahiri's blistering fourth-day performance thrust him into second while four-time Major champion Els shared third with the Philippines' Elmer Salvador. Langer in the lead Bernhard Langer overcame a shaky start and soggy course conditions to take a two-stroke lead after the second round of the Champions Tour's Greater Hickory Classic Saturday. Second behind Kenny Perry in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, Langer bogeyed the first two holes on the reconfigured Rock Barn layout, then made six birdies for a 4-under 66 and a 10-under 130 total. Michael Allen, Brad Bryant and John Riegger were tied for second. Allen shot 65, Bryant had a 66, and Riegger a 67. Bruce Vaughan, who won the qualifying tournament to make the field, shot a 62 to join Olin Browne at 7 under. Browne had a 68. Perry was tied for 17th at 3 under after a 69. — Agencies
