Yoonina, Whose Disciplinary Action Is Ending Soon, Heads to Australia

February 1 Opening Australian Tour Big Open Participation
First Major Tour Tournament Appearance in 1 Year and 6 Months
Shin Ji-ae Challenges 2 Consecutive Wins, Lee Il-hee and Jo Jeong-min Join

Yoon Ina is returning to the field.

Yoon Ina

The Big Open of the Australian Women's Professional Golf (WPGA) Tour, with a total prize money of 420,000 Australian dollars, will be held for four days starting February 1 at Thirteenth Beach Golf Links in Barwon Heads, Victoria, Australia. She is honing her competitive edge in Australia ahead of her return to the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour.

Yoon Ina finished 4th in the 2024 WPGA Qualifying Tournament (QT) held last month in Tweed Heads, Australia, securing a 2024 season entry card awarded to the top five players. Having received a three-year suspension in June 2022 for a rules violation at the Korean Women's Open, she was granted a reduction of her KLPGA suspension from three years to one year and six months last month. Yoon Ina's suspension will end in March. She is expected to participate in the domestic season opener, the Doosan Construction We’ve Championship, held in the first week of April at Teddy Valley Golf & Resort in Seogwipo.

During her suspension, Yoon Ina only competed in mini tours in the United States. It will be her first time competing in a major tour event in one and a half years since July 24, 2022, when she tied for 15th at the Hoban Seoul Shinmun Women's Classic. She has been diligently focusing on training, undergoing a training camp in Australia after passing through Vietnam. She plans to stay in Australia until mid-March. It is reported that she still showcases powerful long drives.

World No. 15 Shin Ji-ae is aiming for her second consecutive victory. A "living legend" with 64 career professional wins, she is targeting participation in the Paris Olympics this August. She plans to accumulate ranking points by competing in international tournaments from the early season. Other players such as Lee Il-hee, Cho Jeong-min, Yoon Min-ah, and Eom Na-yeon have also registered their names.