Victory Bid at NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship: Lee So-mi, Park Min-ji, Gwak Bo-mi Join This Year's Champion Squad, Yoo Hyun-ju Recommended Player
[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] It is Hye-jin Choi's (22, Lotte) title defense.
The NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship (total prize money 700 million KRW), part of the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, will be held over three days starting from the 14th at the New Course (par 72, 6,554 yards) of Suwon Golf Club in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. The tournament was not held last year due to COVID-19, so the 2019 winner Hye-jin Choi is the defending champion. On the final day back then, she started tied for the lead and showcased a perfect 7-under-par performance, winning by a 3-stroke margin in what is known as the "Promised Land."
Hye-jin Choi is the undisputed number one in Korean women's golf. She has worn the Taegeuk mark since the third year of middle school and has won trophies both domestically and internationally as a national team "ace." In 2017, as an amateur, she caused a sensation by winning two professional tournaments, and after debuting on the KLPGA Tour in 2018, she swept two more wins, earning both Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year awards simultaneously. It was the first time in 12 years since Ji-ae Shin (33) in 2006 that a rookie won the Player of the Year award.
In 2019, she collected five trophies including one major win. She swept six titles: most wins, prize money, lowest scoring average, Player of the Year, popularity award, and best player trophy. Hye-jin Choi added two more wins last year, winning the Player of the Year award for three consecutive years since 2018. Including two wins as an amateur, she has amassed a total of 10 wins in a short period, making her the strongest player. This year, however, her start has been somewhat below expectations, with no wins in four tournaments so far.
Her best results recently are 7th place at the Nexen Saint Nine Masters last month and the Kyochon Honey Ladies Open last week. She missed the cut at last month's first major, the KLPGA Championship. It is encouraging that she has a good record at this venue: 42nd in 2016, 4th in 2018, and champion in 2019. Her powerful long drives and precise iron shots are her driving forces. Hana Jang (29) is a dark horse. She is returning with a fresh mindset after skipping two tournaments due to an ankle injury.
Also drawing attention is Hyun-kyung Park (21), the "KLPGA Championship champ," who has already secured two wins. She leads in prize money and Player of the Year rankings, backed by three consecutive top-10 finishes in recent tournaments. This year's winners such as So-mi Lee (22), Min-ji Park (23), and Bo-mi Kwak (29) have also joined the field. Former champions including Ji-young Kim 2 (25), Joo-yeon In (24), Jung-min Lee (29), and Soo-yeon Jang (27) are also participating. "Beautiful golfer" Hyun-joo Yoo (27), along with Kyu-jung Baek (26) and Eun-jung Sung (22), are among the recommended players to watch.
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