Lee So-young '5th Career Win'... "Did You See the Wire-to-Wire?" (Summary)

E1 Charity Open Final Day 3 Under Par "Sweeps Prize Money 1st + Grand Prize 1st", Yu Hae-ran 2nd

Lee So-young is receiving a shower of flower petals from her colleagues immediately after winning the E1 Charity Open. Photo by KLPGA

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-jun] '65-67-70-69.'

Lee So-young (23, Lotte) achieved a 'wire-to-wire' victory after dominating from the first day. On the 31st, at South Springs Golf Club in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province (par 72, 6,501 yards), she added 3-under par on the final day of the KLPGA Tour E1 Charity Open (total prize money 800 million KRW) to complete a 2-stroke victory (17-under par 271). This was her first win of the season and her fifth career win, coming 1 year and 8 months after the All For You Championship in September 2018, with a winner's prize of 160 million KRW.

Starting with a 1-stroke lead, she made three birdies on holes 7, 13, and 16. Especially notable was the birdie on the 13th hole (par 4) with a '1-on 2-putt.' This gave Lee So-young the momentum to maintain a 1-stroke lead against Yoo Hae-ran (19, SK Networks), who had tied for the lead with a bunker shot eagle. On the 16th hole (par 5), she sealed the victory with an 'eagle-like birdie' by placing her third shot very close to the hole. Meanwhile, Yoo Hae-ran missed a 2.2m birdie putt, losing her chance to catch up.

It is interesting that South Springs was also the winning course for the All For You Championship. Lee So-young said, "I'm happy to win again at South Springs," and described it as "a place where you have to decisively choose between offense and defense in your play." Above all, the victory was significant as a 'redemption' after last year. Although she swept three wins in 2018, last year she was frustrated by finishing runner-up three times at the Hyosung Championship, Korean Women's Open, and Yongpyong Resort Open.

Lee So-young has also secured a favorable position in individual titles, ranking first in prize money (253.7 million KRW) and first in the points race for the Player of the Year (134 points). Her consistency is impressive, with three top-5 finishes including a win at the Hyosung Championship in December 2020 and a tie for 4th at the KLPGA Championship that ended on the 17th. She expressed confidence, saying, "My shot feel is good, so I can aim for first place in the Player of the Year," and added, "I want to win a major this year."

Yoo Hae-ran finished second (15-under par 273), with Lim Hee-jung (20, Hanwha Q CELLS) and Kim So-yi (26) tied for third (12-under par 276). Choi Ye-rim (21, Hite Jinro) dropped two strokes and fell to fifth place (11-under par 277). The domestic number one, Choi Hye-jin (21, Lotte), finished tied for 10th (9-under par 279). The overseas players did not achieve notable results. Lee Jeong-eun 6 (24, Daebang Construction), the LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year, tied for 21st (7-under par 281), and Kim Hyo-joo (25, Lotte) tied for 33rd (4-under par 284).