'Summer Minji? Autumn Queen!' Park Minji Wins Hite Jinro Championship

Securing 5 Wins This Season, Virtually Cementing Top Spot in Wins and Prize Money
Climbs to 2nd in Grand Prize Points, Aiming for Last-Minute Comeback
Ties with Jang Hana for Most Active KLPGA Wins at 15

Park Min-ji is holding the winner's trophy at the Hite Jinro Championship, part of the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, which concluded on the 9th. / Photo by KLPGA

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Taewon] Domestic top player Park Minji (24) became the protagonist of the final round of the HiteJinro Championship (total prize money 1.2 billion KRW) on the 9th, fiercely contested under heavy rain throughout the day in the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour.

Park Minji finished the final day of the season's last major tournament, the HiteJinro Championship, held at Blue Heron Golf Club in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province (par 72, 6,687 yards), with an even-par 72 and a final total of 2-under 286, tying with Jung Yoonji (21). After two sudden-death playoffs, she ultimately claimed the championship.

With this victory, Park Minji secured her fifth win of the season, effectively locking in both the most wins and the top prize money titles. Previously, Park had won the NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship in May, followed by the Celltrion Queens Masters and BC Card Hankyung Ladies Cup in June, and last month’s KB Financial Star Championship. Having won six times last year and five times this season, she is solidifying her position as the undisputed domestic leader. Concerns about her performance decline, raised after she withdrew from the final round of last week’s Hana Financial Group Championship due to cold symptoms, were completely dispelled.

Having reached a total of 15 career wins, Park Minji shared the record for the most wins among active KLPGA Tour players with Jang Hana (30). Only three players have more wins than Park Minji on the KLPGA Tour: Koo Okhee and Shin Jiyai (both with 20 wins), and Ko Usun (17 wins).

She also completely shook off the jinx of being "weak in autumn." Until last season, Park had shown a weak performance in autumn, having won only once after September out of her 13 total victories. However, this year, she regained her strength by winning two major tournaments held in autumn, including last month’s KB Financial Star Championship and this tournament.

With this win, Park Minji received 216 million KRW in prize money, increasing her season earnings to 1.26458 billion KRW and firmly maintaining her position as the top money leader. She also rose to second place in the points race for the Player of the Year, increasing her chances of a late-season comeback.

Park Min-ji, who won the Hite Jinro Championship on the KLPGA Tour that ended on the 9th, is drinking beer from the winner's cup at the awards ceremony. / Photo by KLPGA

In the post-victory interview, Park Minji smiled brightly, saying, "It was a very tough match," and "I want to drink beer." Right after the awards ceremony, she celebrated her victory by downing the beer-filled winner’s trophy without hesitation.

She said, "I entered without high expectations but ended up winning," and added, "I have won three major tournaments, and my goal is to win the remaining two majors that I haven’t won yet."

The match was challenging for players due to heavy rain and chilly weather, with only six players finishing under par among all participants.

Han Jinseon (25), who was the leader the day before, was eliminated from contention after repeated mistakes early in the round, while Park Minji fiercely competed with Kim Suji, who was second the previous day.

The turning point in the duel between the two players came at the 13th hole. After Kim Suji caught up to tie for the lead by making a birdie on the 12th hole, Park Minji immediately responded with a birdie on the 13th hole (par 4), reclaiming the solo lead. Kim Suji then fell behind after consecutive bogeys on the 14th and 15th holes, widening the gap to three strokes over the second-place group.

Park Minji is holing out after a par save on the 4th hole during the final round of the KLPGA HiteJinro Championship held on the 9th at Blue Heron CC in Yeoju. Photo by KLPGA

What seemed like a straightforward victory turned tense as Park Minji brought trouble upon herself and fell back into uncertainty. At the 15th hole, she missed a routine 1.7-meter par putt, giving Jung Yoonji a chance to close the gap. Jung fiercely chased with birdies on the 16th hole (par 3) and the 18th hole (par 5), pushing the match into a playoff.

In the first playoff at the 18th hole, Park Minji showed signs of nervousness by missing an easy birdie putt. However, she sealed the victory in the second playoff on the same hole. While Jung Yoonji struggled with her second shot landing among rocks by the creek in front of the green, Park Minji sank a birdie putt of about 2 meters to confirm her championship.

Jung Yoonji, who earned her first career win at the E1 Charity Open in May, showed strong finishing power this time aiming for her first major title but ultimately fell short at the final hurdle.

Park Sunghyun (29), who attracted attention by returning to the domestic stage after a year, finished tied for third with an even-par 288 after a disappointing 2-over round. However, Park Sunghyun thrilled the approximately 20,000 gallery members present with a picturesque chip-in birdie despite a precarious situation where her tee shot at the 16th hole (par 3) landed on a slope next to a hazard.

Kim Jaehee (21), who lowered her score by two strokes on the final day, tied for third place with Park Sunghyun, while Choi Eunwoo (27), Jung Seulgi (27), Oh Jihyun (26), and Kim Suji finished tied for fifth at 1-over 289. Han Jinseon, who led the previous day, ended the tournament tied for 17th at 6-over 294 after a poor 10-over performance on the final day.

Meanwhile, about 20,000 spectators gathered at the venue on the day of the event, and a total of 40,000 people attended over the four days, marking the highest attendance of the season.