'Number 1' Ko Jin-young "First Win GO~"... Korda Challenges '3 Consecutive Sister Wins in Tournaments'

Challenge for victory in the 3rd round of the 2021 Drive On Championship, Kim Se-young and Park Sung-hyun join, Lee Mi-hyang and Choi Woon-jung compete in sponsor tournament

'Number 1' Ko Jin-young challenges for her first victory at the Drive On Championship.

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] It is world No. 1 Ko Jin-young (26) heading to Ocala.

On the night of the 4th (Korean time), the Drive On Championship of the LPGA Tour (total prize money $1.5 million) opens at Golden Ocala Golf Club (par 72, 6,852 yards) in Ocala, Florida, USA, a fierce battleground. This newly established tournament is the third event of the 2021 season, sponsored by the domestic golf brand Volvik. Volvik hosted the LPGA Tour Volvik Championship for three years starting in 2016 and supports promising players through the Symetra (second-tier) Tour’s ‘Volvik Race for the Card.’

Ko Jin-young has held the top spot as the ‘Number 1’ for 1 year and 8 months since July 2019. She debuted on the LPGA Tour in 2018 after winning the KEB Hana Bank Championship in 2017 as a non-member. She set a remarkable record by winning her debut at the ISPS Handa Australian Women’s Open, the first in 67 years since Beverly Hanson (USA) in 1951. She won the Rookie of the Year award with overwhelming skill and swept 4 wins including 2 majors in 2019, becoming a quadruple crown winner.

Last year, amid the global spread of COVID-19, she stayed in Korea and returned late to the LPGA stage in November. Even after playing only four tournaments, including runner-up at the U.S. Women’s Open and winning the final CME Group Tour Championship, she achieved her second consecutive money title. This year, with the Tokyo Olympics women’s golf starting on August 5, she began competing early from last week’s Gainbridge LPGA. She has been reaping the benefits of refining her fitness and swing meticulously in Gangjin, Jeollanam-do during the off-season.

At the Gainbridge LPGA, she showcased stable performance throughout the four days, competing for the win. On the second day, she demonstrated her strength by shooting 6 under par. However, she finished 4th (11 under par, 277 strokes) after scoring only 1 under par on the final day. Her precise shots stood out with a fairway hit rate of 78.57% and green hit rate of 86.11%. However, an average of 31 putts per round was disappointing. She said, “I will fill in the parts that were lacking this time and show it,” and “I will play more boldly.”

Jessica (right) and Nelly Korda sisters aim for three consecutive wins at the Drive On Championship.

The American sisters Jessica and Nelly Korda are strong contenders for the title. Older sister Jessica won her sixth career victory in three years at the 2021 season opener, the Diamond Resort Tournament in January, her first since the 2018 Honda LPGA Thailand, while Nelly secured her fourth career win at the Gainbridge LPGA, her first in 1 year and 4 months since the 2019 Taiwan Swinging Skirts. This is the second-ever ‘sisters winning consecutive tournaments’ streak since Sweden’s Annika and Charlotta Sorenstam in 2000.

Korea is represented by ‘Number 2’ Kim Se-young (28, Mirae Asset), who is determined to continue the shot form that earned her a daily best 6 under par on the final day of the Gainbridge LPGA. Also listed are world No. 11 Park Sung-hyun (28), No. 12 Lee Jeong-eun 6 (25, Daebang Construction), and Jeon In-ji (27, KB Financial Group), who entered the top 10 in two consecutive tournaments. Lee Mi-hyang (28) and Choi Woon-jung (31, both Volvik) vow to perform well in their sponsor’s tournament. Rookie Jeon Ji-won (24, KB Financial Group) is also aiming for a breakthrough.