Continued Slump... Korean Players Disappear from Top Ranks in LPGA

[Mediheal Championship 3R] Kang Hyeji and Kim Seyoung tied for 13th, 8 strokes behind the leader
Jodi Ewart Shadoff leads at 14-under 202

On the 9th (local time), at the LPGA Tour Mediheal Championship 3rd round held at Saticoy Club (Par 72, 6,635 yards) in Somis near Los Angeles, California, USA, Hyeji Kang, who was tied for 3rd place after the 2nd round, dropped in ranking and fell outside the top 10. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Tae-won Choi] The winless streak for Korean players on the U.S. Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour is expected to extend to 12 tournaments. On the third day of the Mediheal Championship (total prize money $1.8 million), no Korean player made it into the top 10, making a comeback victory on the final day unlikely.

On the 9th (local time) at the Saticoy Club (par 72, 6,635 yards) in Somis near Los Angeles, California, the third round of the LPGA Tour Mediheal Championship concluded with Kang Hye-ji (32) and Kim Se-young (29) tied for 13th place with a cumulative score of 6-under-par 210, the highest among Korean players. They trailed the leader, Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England), who stood at 14-under-par 202, by 8 strokes.

Kang Hye-ji and Ji Eun-hee (36), who were tied for 3rd place after the second round, fell outside the top 10.

Kang started the day with a pleasant birdie on the 1st hole (par 4), but faltered with a bogey on the 7th hole (par 4) followed by a critical double bogey on the 8th hole (par 5). After another bogey on the 11th hole (par 4), Kang lost strokes but managed to record stepping-stone birdies on the 13th, 15th, and 17th holes. However, she finished the day even par 72 without reducing her overall score, slipping from a tie for 3rd place the previous day to a tie for 13th.

Ji Eun-hee, the eldest sister who also aimed for a comeback from a tie for 3rd place the previous day, struggled as well.

Like Kang, she started with a birdie on the first hole but immediately lost a stroke with a bogey on the 2nd hole (par 4) and another stroke on the 4th hole (par 4). After a tedious parade of pars, she finished with a 1-over-par 73, dropping to a tie for 21st place with a cumulative 5-under-par 211.

Kim Se-young was a slight consolation, improving her position from a tie for 19th to a tie for 13th by recording four birdies and two bogeys, reducing her score by two strokes.

The other Korean players also failed to make an impact. Choi Woon-jung (32), who was tied for 10th the previous day, dropped to a tie for 21st alongside Ji Eun-hee, and Choi Hye-jin (23), who was tied for 28th, fell to a tie for 33rd.

Meanwhile, Jodi Ewart Shadoff, who was leading the previous day, maintained her lead with a 3-stroke reduction, holding a cumulative 14-under-par 202. Paula Reto (South Africa), in second place, also reduced her score by 3 strokes, maintaining a cumulative 10-under-par 206.

C?line Boutier (France) and Andrea Lee (USA) delivered fierce performances, each reducing their scores by 6 strokes on the day, and along with Hanako Shibuno (Japan), they are tied for 3rd place with a cumulative 9-under-par 207.

Atthaya Thitikul (Thailand), who is a strong candidate for Rookie of the Year, managed only a 1-stroke reduction with two birdies and one bogey, dropping to a tie for 13th with a cumulative 6-under-par 210.

Korean players have not reported a victory on the LPGA Tour for 11 consecutive tournaments since Jeon In-ji (28) won the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in June.