Rory McIlroy finished tied for third as Korean young gun Bae Sang-moon successfully defended the Kolon-Hana Bank Korea Open at Woo Jeung Hills GC near Seoul.

Bae recorded a one-stroke victory over compatriot Kim Dae-sub at Woo Jeung Hills Golf Club for his second big win of 2009.

“It just wasn’t to be today," said McIlroy, who closed with a one over par 72. "I really had a good chance to win but nothing happened for me on the back nine and Bae just played great. Well done to him."

Mcllroy, 19, made the turn in one under and was very much in the hunt but when Bae got on the birdie train the rising star from Northern Ireland could not find an extra gear and bogeyed the 11th and 14th.

Bae closed with a four-under-par 67 to finish the tournament on 10-under-par 274.

Kim, winner of this event twice as a teenage amateur in 1998 and 2001, carded a 69 and gave Bae a real fright on the final hole. 

Bae held a three shot lead over Kim playing the par-five 18th but he was suddenly hit by a wave of pressure when playing partner Kim holed his third shot from 100 yards for an eagle.

The crowd went wild but Bae calmly found the green with his third and two putted to earn a cheque for US$245,000.

Bae, 23, was one back from the leaders after three rounds, and took control of the tournament when he made three birdies in a row from the 11th.

“My mum has been telling me all week to be more aggressive with my second shot on the 18th. She has been a bit mad with me all week about that but

I am pleased I laid up today after Kim hit that shot,” joked Bae, who is one of the biggest hitters in Asian golf.

“I struggled the first two days and could not really get going but I drew upon my experience from last year and stayed patient."

Japan’s 17 year old golf prodigy Ryo Ishikawa shot a 73 and finished in equal 15th place on even par while Danny Lee from New Zealand came in with a 74 to finish on three over.

Selected scores

274 Bae Sang-moon    71  71  65  67    

275 Kim Dae-sub Kim   67  70  69  69    

278 Kim Kyung Tae  68  70  72  68    

278 Rory Mcllroy  71  68  67  72    

279 Michael Wright  (AUS) 67  66  76  70    

279 Jung Jae-hoon   70  68  70  71    

281 Song Ki-joon  69  70  71  71    

281 Kim Dae-hyun   67  68  75  71    

282 Kang  Sung-hoon 68  74  68    

282 Park Jae-bum  73  66  71  72

283 Azuma Yano (JPN)   70  75  70  68    

283 Kwon  Myung -ho   70  74  70  69    

283 Lee  Seung-ho  71  69  73  70  283  

283 Kang Kyung-sool   67  71  72  73  283  

284 Song  Tae-hoon 76  69  71  68    

284 Kang Ji-man  74  68  73  69    

284 Hwang  Inn-choon 69  72  73  70    

284 Kang  Kyung-nam   69  69  74  72    

284 Ryo Ishikawa  (JPN) 70  69  72  73    

285 Park  Young-soo 71  70  75  69    

285 Choi  In-sik 74  69  72  70    

285 Kim  Hyung-sung 70  70  73  72    

285 Hyun  Jeong-yup 71  69  72  73    

286 Park  Do-kyu 70  72  75  69    

286 Choi  Joon-woo 69  66  81  70    

286 Jang  Ik-jae 72  70  73  71    

286 Kang  Wook-soon 75  69  71  71    

286 Noh  Seung-yul  70  75  67  74    

287 Yuan Hao (CHN)   72  70  72  73    

287 Michael Long (AUS)  70  73  71  73    

287 Danny Lee (NZL)   71  71  71  74