Last Major Heitjinro Championship Victory Bid, Jang Hana and Park Hyunkyung as Dark Horses, Song Ga-eun's 'Challenge for 2 Consecutive Wins'
[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] The dominant player Park Min-ji (23, NH Investment & Securities) is making a bid for her 7th victory.
The Hite Jinro Championship (total prize money 1 billion KRW), part of the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, kicks off on the 7th at Blue Heron Golf Club in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province (par 72, 6,736 yards). It is the fifth and final major of the season. Last year, the event was unfortunately canceled due to the spread of COVID-19. The defending champion is Ko Jin-young (26), who won in 2019, but she is currently competing in the LPGA Tour's Cognizant Founders Cup to defend her title.
Park Min-ji is the star who has dominated the domestic circuit this year. She has participated in 19 tournaments and swept up an impressive 6 wins, including one major. She is leading in wins, prize money (1.33331 billion KRW), and points for the Player of the Year (556 points). She ranks second in top-10 finish rate (57.89%) and third in average score (70.07 strokes). She has already broken the KLPGA Tour single-season prize money record and is aiming to surpass Shin Ji-ae’s (33) record of most wins in a season (9 wins) set in 2007.
The key is to change the momentum. Since winning the Daebo House D Open in July, she has gone eight consecutive tournaments without a title. Three weeks ago, she withdrew from the OK Savings Bank Park Seri Invitational after straining her back during practice rounds. Last week at the Hana Financial Group Championship, she struggled with a 1-over-par over two days and failed to make the cut. This marks her fourth cut-off of the season. Since winning the Korean Women’s Open in June, she is determined to claim her second major title first.
'Overseas player' Park Sung-hyun aims to break out of her slump at the major Hite Jinro Championship.
LPGA member Park Sung-hyun (28) has joined as a recommended player. She is a former world number one with 7 career wins on the U.S. stage, including two majors. However, she has not collected a trophy in two years since winning the Arkansas Championship in 2019. This year, she has competed in 17 tournaments but has yet to break into the top 10. Above all, escaping her slump is urgent. She said, "I am very excited and looking forward to participating in a domestic tournament for the first time this year. I ask for lots of support."
2013 champion Jang Ha-na (29, BC Card) is knocking on the door of the top spot again after 8 years. She has recorded two wins this year and leads in average score (69.64 strokes) and top-10 finish rate (70%), ranking second in prize money (817.48 million KRW) and Player of the Year points (542 points). Depending on her performance in this tournament, she could rise to first place in Player of the Year points. Other contenders for the title include Park Hyun-kyung (21, Korea Land & Housing Trust), who is third in prize money, and two-time winner Lee So-mi (22, SBI Savings Bank). Hana Financial Group champion Song Ga-eun (21, MG Saemaeul Geumgo) is aiming for back-to-back wins.
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