Flipping the Script in Round 2, 'KLPGA 2-Win Champ' Anna Lin in 3rd Place, 2-Stroke Leader Bouchard and 'Number 18' Titikun as Dark Horses
[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] "Challenging for the top spot."
Choi Hye-jin (22, Lotte) has a bold ambition. On the 9th (Korean time), she will compete in the second stage of the LPGA Tour Qualifying (Q) Series, held at Highland Oaks Golf Course in Dothan, Alabama, USA, with a total prize of $150,000. A total of 74 players who finished up to a tie for 62nd place in the first stage will compete, and those who enter the 'top 45' will receive a regular tour card. To maintain a stable tour life, she needs to finish at least within the top 20.
Choi Hye-jin debuted on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour in 2017 and has accumulated a total of 10 wins, including 2 as an amateur. She swept both the Rookie of the Year and the Player of the Year awards in 2018, and in 2019, she dominated major individual titles such as most wins, prize money, Player of the Year, and lowest scoring average. Last year, she also earned the Player of the Year title for the third consecutive year. However, this year she has yet to win. She is aiming for a turnaround by entering the U.S. tour.
She has already demonstrated exceptional power and competitiveness on the LPGA Tour as a non-member. As an amateur, she finished runner-up at the 2017 major US Women's Open, and she also placed second at the ISPS Handa Vic Open in February last year. Her entry into the U.S. stage is progressing smoothly. She finished second in the first stage of the Q-Series, which ended on the 6th, showing remarkable strength by shooting 6-under par on the final day. She is only two strokes behind the leader Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (France).
If she performs well in the second stage, a comeback victory is possible. She has shown stable skills by shooting scores in the 60s for four consecutive days in the first stage (69-66-68-66). "Overall, I was satisfied with the first stage," said Choi Hye-jin, adding, "I plan to improve on my shortcomings by the second stage" and expressing her determination to "achieve good results." She explained, "The course clearly divides the greens depending on the pin positions," and emphasized, "It is crucial to send the ball well to the tier where the pin is located."
Anna Lin (25, Moonyoung Group), a two-time KLPGA Tour champion, is also a strong contender for the title. She is eyeing a comeback from third place, five strokes behind. The rising momentum of Bouchard, who dominates the top of the leaderboard, is formidable. She is a player who won the European Ladies Professional Golf Tour (LET) Sweden Skaftoe Open just two weeks after turning professional in August last year. Atthaya Thitikul (Thailand), ranked 18th in the world, is a dark horse. She is chasing from a tie for fourth place, six strokes behind.
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