[At Clubhouse] 'Slump Escape' Jo Ah-yeon "Golf is the Only Thing I Can Do Well"

Winning After 2 Years and 8 Months Since Driver Yips, Started Hobbies in Baking and Boxing, Iron Replacement Success "A Player Focused on the Process, Not the Outcome"

'Pink Princess' Jo Ah-yeon has broken free from a long slump and begun the wings of revival.

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] ‘Pink Princess’ Jo Ah-yeon (22, Dongbu Construction) has a bold style.

She has many fans due to her aggressive play. Jo Ah-yeon, who was doing well, choked up just before her champion putt on the 18th hole of the final day at the KLPGA Tour Kyochon Honey Ladies Open on the 8th. It was right after she saw her father, Jo Min-hong, near the green. She earned her third career win after 2 years and 8 months since the Park Se-ri Invitational in September 2019. She cheered, saying, "I didn’t know winning would be this hard," and "I’m even happier because this win came after enduring a slump."

▲ ‘A girl obsessed with results’= Jo Ah-yeon was exceptional since her amateur days. She was selected for the national team in her third year of middle school. She dominated the junior stage by winning the Jeju Governor’s Cup consecutively in 2016 and 2017, and won the individual title at the 2018 World Amateur Team Championship. She topped the KLPGA Tour 2019 season qualifying tournament. She proved her competitiveness by making the cut 17 times out of 20 professional tournaments she entered as an amateur.

In April 2019, she won the Lotte Rent-a-Car Women’s Open, her second professional tournament, and later that year took the Park Se-ri Invitational, becoming Rookie of the Year. However, overambition caused trouble. She struggled with driver mishits. Jo Ah-yeon said, "I pushed myself too hard thinking I had to do better," and added, "In 2020 and 2021, I started correcting my swing, but it didn’t fit well. Those things overlapped all at once, and that’s when the slump began."

Jo Ah-yeon, after winning the Kyochon Honey Ladies Open for the first time in 2 years and 8 months, said, "I want to be a player who focuses on the process, not just the results."

▲ ‘A long slump’= In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she played in 16 tournaments and finished in the top 10 only three times. Last year, she also had three top-10 finishes in 28 tournaments. Reflecting on it, she said, "I think I fell deeper into the slump because it was mentally tough," and "Not being able to comfort myself led to the slump." She had a hard time without a win. "There were times when I thought about quitting golf and went to tournaments without practicing."

Rather than technical aspects like shots and swings, she made changes to her mental state. She started hobbies she had always wanted to try, such as baking and piano. In March, she took up boxing. "There was a former national boxing coach where I exercise, so I started learning," she said with a bright smile. "I realized golf is the only thing I’m good at, and I thought it would be nice to enjoy golf happily like a hobby. From then on, I was able to gradually get out of the slump."

Jo Ah-yeon ended her victory drought after switching to new irons just before the opening of the Kyochon Honey Ladies Open.

▲ "I’m so happy"= Before the Kyochon Honey Ladies Open, she switched to new irons. "As soon as I got the clubs, I liked the design and they suited me well," she explained, "Thanks to that, I think I was able to achieve good results." Jo Ah-yeon is a player with star quality. She gained strength when the gallery was with her during her win. "The absence of fans over the past two years was significant," she said, "This year, I feel the power of the gallery," and added, "I am a player who needs the gallery."

She changed her mindset. She now believes that winning is not everything in golf. "I am a player who values the process, and I keep thinking that I want to play happy golf," she said, "I don’t think I will have anxious thoughts about results in the future." She matured further after experiencing pain. "If you create a good process and walk steadily, wins will follow. Rather than obsessing over results or wins, I want to be a player who is faithful to the situation and process."