Inbee Park's Vow for Revenge "Washing Away the Regret of Runner-Up~"

Challenging for Victory Again at Gainbridge LPGA, Lopez Aims for 2nd Consecutive Win, with Heo Mi-jeong and Kim Se-young Joining

Park In-bee will once again challenge for her first win of the season at the Gainbridge LPGA.

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] It is the moment of perseverance for 'Golf Queen' Park In-bee (32).

On the 23rd (Korean time), the Gainbridge LPGA (total prize money $2 million) kicks off at Boca Rio Golf Club (par 72, 6,701 yards) in Boca Raton, Florida, USA, becoming a fierce battleground. It is the second event of the 2020 LPGA Tour season. As a newly established tournament this year, 108 players will compete over four days in a 72-hole stroke play format to determine the winner. Park In-bee is filled with determination. She missed the 'big catch' she almost secured at last week's opening event, the Diamond Resort Tournament.

Starting the final day with a two-stroke lead, she finished at even par and was forced into a playoff against Nasa Hataoka (Japan) and Gaby Lopez (Mexico). On the third playoff hole at the 18th hole (par 3), she suffered the humiliation of being the first to be eliminated after a fatal mistake of hitting her tee shot into the water. Park In-bee said, "The 18th hole was a problem for two consecutive days," adding, "This is golf." She self-assessed, "Although the result was somewhat disappointing, the content up to the third round was good."

Park In-bee's goal this year is to win her second consecutive gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in August. Unlike previous years, she started from the opening event. By June, she must be ranked within the top 15 in the world rankings and within the top 4 among Korean players. As of the 22nd, she is ranked 14th, following Ko Jin-young (25) at 1st, Park Sung-hyun (27) at 2nd, Kim Sei-young (27) at 6th, Lee Jeong-eun 6 (24) at 7th, and Kim Hyo-joo (25) at 12th, making her the sixth Korean player. She expressed confidence, saying, "To participate in the Olympics, I need to win 1-2 tournaments by June," and "Having gained confidence from the first tournament, I have high expectations for this event as well."

'Diamond Resort Champ' Lopez aims for her second consecutive win. Brooke Henderson (Canada), Lexi Thompson, and Nelly Korda (both USA), who finished in the 'Top 10' at the opening event, are also on the list. Hur Mi-jung (31) is a 'dark horse,' boasting peak shot accuracy with an 8-under-par performance on the final day of the Diamond Resort. Kim Sei-young (27) is determined to wash away the disappointment of last week's tie for 4th place. Korea is also represented by Ji Eun-hee (34), Jeon In-ji (26), Choi Woon-jung (30), and Lee Mi-hyang (27).