'LPGA Rookie of the Year' Yu Hae-ran Says "Standards Have Been Raised"

Six Top 10 Finishes Including First-Year Win Spark Excitement
October Arkansas Championship Victory a Turning Point
Next Year’s Vietnam Training Camp to Focus on Short Game Improvement
"Very Happy with My Life in the US, Made Many Friends"

"It's an 85."

This is what Yu Hae-ran, who won the Rookie of the Year award on the U.S. Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour this year, said. She returned to Korea right after finishing the final event of the 2023 season, the CME Group Tour Championship, on the 19th of last month, and is currently balancing rest and training at home. She is even taking the time to take her driver's license test. In an interview with Asia Economy on the 4th, Yu Hae-ran said with a smile, "Although I won and received the Rookie of the Year award, there were many shortcomings. I failed to qualify for the finals three times," adding, "If it were a grade, I'd give myself a B+, and in terms of score, an 85."

Yu Hae-ran, who won the Rookie of the Year award in the United States following her success in Korea, said, "I will continue the pleasant jinx of winning one victory each year by securing the championship again next year."

Yu Hae-ran is the player who was invited to the 2019 Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour Jeju Samdasoo Masters and achieved a "surprise victory." She immediately earned a regular tour card and won once in 2020, claiming the Rookie of the Year title. After accumulating a total of five wins, she passed the LPGA Tour Qualifying (Q) Series as the top scorer last December and advanced to the U.S. stage. This season, Yu Hae-ran finished in the top 10 six times, including one win, and was named Rookie of the Year.

Yu Hae-ran had a tough time mentally in the early part of the season. She was stressed because she couldn't perform as well as expected. In the early days of her debut, communication was difficult due to language barriers. The enormous travel distances were also a burden. She needed to adjust to time differences. Managing her condition was not easy. Yu Hae-ran recalled, "At first, I thought coming to the U.S. was a mistake," but added, "I endured and persevered, and good things happened. I'm glad I stayed." After struggling to win for a while, she finally secured her first victory at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship in October, her 20th tournament.

Before her first win, Yu Hae-ran briefly returned to Korea. She received intensive lessons from swing coach Yeom Dong-hoon, who also coaches Lee Jung-min, Park Ji-young, Ham Jung-woo, Ok Tae-hoon, and Moon Kyung-jun. She corrected the issue of not fully transferring her weight, which had prevented her from putting all her power into the ball. The effect was immediate. Yu Hae-ran recalled, "The most memorable tournament was the Arkansas Championship. I was confident in my shots from the first day. I held the lead for four days and won." She emphasized, "After winning this tournament, I believed I could do it too. It was a turning point."

Yoo Hae-ran (left) is smiling brightly while holding the trophy with Annika Sorenstam after receiving the Rookie of the Year award.

Yu Hae-ran secured the Rookie of the Year title early at The Annika Driven by Gainbridge at Pelican on the 12th of last month. It has been four years since a Korean player won the Rookie of the Year on the LPGA Tour, the last being Lee Jeong-eun 6 in 2019. Yu Hae-ran is the 14th Korean player to win the award since Park Se-ri in 1998. Regarding why Korean players struggle, Yu Hae-ran analyzed, "Korean players also work very hard. Their skills have not declined," adding, "Players from other countries like Thailand, China, the U.S., and France have rapidly improved. The overall level has risen, making it harder to win."

Yu Hae-ran has an active style. She made many friends from her debut year. She is close with world No. 2 Lin Ying (China) and "super rookie" Rose Zhang (U.S.). About Lin Ying, she said, "As a major winner, her ability to surge is amazing. I want to learn the mental strength to seize winning opportunities." Regarding Rose Zhang, she commented, "The young player is really calm and composed. Her facial expressions don't change."

Yoo Hae-ran said, "I am very happy with the best competition conditions and having many friends in my life in the United States."

Yu Hae-ran is staying in Korea and will start the 2024 season at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions (January 18?21) and the LPGA Drive On Championship (January 25?28) held in Florida, U.S. Afterwards, she plans to go to Vietnam for training camp. She has no intention of changing her swing. Having experienced the LPGA Tour for a year, Yu Hae-ran plans to focus on improving her short game and putting, which were lacking. She also intends to practice around the greens using clubs like the 7-iron and putter. She explained, "In approach shots, wedges are not always the answer. To succeed in the U.S., an approach using various clubs to attack the green is necessary."

Since her first win in 2019, Yu Hae-ran has won at least once every year. She also tasted the joy of victory on the U.S. stage this year. Her goal for next year is to continue the "at least one win" streak. Yu Hae-ran expressed her ambition, saying, "This season was truly eventful. I discovered many problems and gained experience adapting to the new U.S. stage," adding, "Next year, I want to win at least once first. After that, I will set higher goals."