Jang Hana's Consecutive Victory "Did You See the Bunker Shot Par Save?"... Yu Hae-ran in 2nd Place

Lotte Open Final Day Even Par, Leap to No.1 in Grand Prize Points, Surpasses 5 Billion Won in Career Earnings, Choi Hye-jin Ties for 3rd Place

Jang Hana is cheering at the moment her victory was confirmed on the first hole of the playoff on the final day of the Lotte Open. Photo by KLPGA

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-jun] "Bunker shot winning par save."

Jang Ha-na (29, BC Card) finally secured her first victory of the 2021 season after an extended battle. On the 6th, at the Bears Best Golf Club in Cheongna, Incheon (par 72, 6716 yards), she maintained an even-par score on the final day of the KLPGA Tour Lotte Open (total prize money 800 million KRW) to tie for the lead (6 under par, 282 strokes), then defeated Yoo Hae-ran (20, SK Networks) on the first hole of the playoff at the 18th hole (par 4). This marked her 14th career win and earned her a winner's prize of 144 million KRW.

Starting one stroke behind in second place, Jang exchanged four birdies and four bogeys. Although she had consecutive bogeys on the 4th and 6th holes early on, she recovered with birdies on the 10th and 13th holes, a bogey on the 14th hole (par 5), and birdies on the 15th and 16th holes. Her green hit rate of 77.78% and pinpoint iron shots stood out. The bogey on the final 18th hole (par 4) was rather regrettable, as her 1.5-meter par putt just missed the hole. Yoo Hae-ran also made a bogey, leading to the playoff, which was decided on the 19th hole.

It is interesting that Jang Ha-na had finished as runner-up consecutively in April at the Lotte Rent-a-Car Women’s Open and the Nexen Saint Nine Masters. In particular, she lost in a playoff to Park Min-ji (23, NH Investment & Securities) at the Nexen Saint Nine Masters. With this victory, she rose to first place in the overall points ranking (226 points) and became the first player to surpass 5 billion KRW (5.035 billion KRW) in total career earnings on the KLPGA regular tour. She expressed her fighting spirit, saying, "If I quietly focus on my game, the records will naturally follow."

Yoo Hae-ran finished second with four birdies and five bogeys, ending at one over par. Choi Hye-jin (22, Lotte) took third place (5 under par, 283 strokes). Park Joo-young (31, Dongbu Construction), who played in the champion group alongside Jang Ha-na and Yoo Hae-ran, dropped to a tie for fourth place (4 under par, 284 strokes), joined by rookie Son Joo-hee (25). Ahn Na-rin (25) finished sixth (3 under par, 285 strokes), while ‘Lotte Rent-a-Car champ’ Lee So-mi (22, SBI Savings Bank) stopped her bid for a second win at a tie for 21st place (1 over par, 289 strokes).