Choi Hye-jin Wins Domestic Lotte Open Title After 2 Years 7 Months
Passive Play Since Last Year Led to 'No-Win Slump'
Victory with Former Putter: "Now I Will Play Confidently"
‘Overseas player’ Choi Hye-jin found the solution during her domestic outing.
She broke free from nearly three years of a ‘win drought.’ On the 4th, at the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour Lotte Open (total prize money 800 million KRW) held at Bears Best Cheongna Golf Club in Incheon (par 72), Choi lost one stroke in the 4th round but secured a 2-stroke victory (14-under 274). This marked her 11th career win (including 2 wins as an amateur) and her first in 2 years and 7 months since the SK Telecom·ADT Caps Championship in November 2020, with a winner’s prize of 144 million KRW.
Choi Hye-jin is cheering immediately after winning on the final day of the Lotte Open. [Photo by KLPGA]
Choi Hye-jin exclaimed, "I’m so happy to win after more than three years," adding, "My goal was to win a sponsor tournament, and I’m thrilled to have achieved that dream." She continued, "It’s great that I can get home within two hours after the tournament and rest well on Monday. I also loved the cloud of spectators, which is hard to see in the U.S., and the fellow players I can communicate with," smiling brightly. Choi has secured her domestic tour card through 2025. She said, "It’s nice to know I can participate in domestic tournaments anytime," and added, "I want to play more often in Korean tournaments if I get the chance."
Choi Hye-jin won the Player of the Year award for three consecutive years from 2018 to 2020 before debuting on the U.S. LPGA Tour last year. This year, she has competed in eight tournaments, making the cut in all but never finishing in the ‘top 10.’ Choi said, "I had been playing too safely, which made my swing hesitant. Now, I’m using my body more in my swing. I will play confidently when I return to the U.S.," smiling brightly.
Choi explained, "The longer the winless period went on, the more anxious I became. I doubted whether I could do it and felt discouraged. When I tried bold shots during matches and made mistakes, I lost confidence and couldn’t recover. Missing winning opportunities was because of that lost confidence." She added, "Playing against KLPGA Tour players reminded me that I used to play confidently. Now, I can trust myself and play well. I’m looking forward to the remaining tournaments," smiling.
Choi used her old putter in this tournament. It was her ‘weapon’ with which she won six times from the 2019 KLPGA Championship until her move to the U.S. Including the Lotte Open, she has won seven times using this putter. Choi said, "I will take it with me to the U.S. and keep using it."
Choi Hye-jin will start competing from the Meijer Classic, which opens on the 16th. She will focus on two major tournaments: the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship on the 23rd and the U.S. Women’s Open on the 7th of next month. Choi said, "I will carry this momentum into the U.S. I really want to win the U.S. Women’s Open, where I have had good results before. Since this year’s tournament is held at Pebble Beach, I want to enjoy the course itself," expressing her determination.
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