Yoo Yina and Shin Jiae... A Rich KLPGA Season Opener

April 5 Jeju Doosan Construction We’ve Championship Opens
Ogu Player Yoonina Returns After 1 Year 9 Months
Olympic Hope Shin Ji-ae Competes in KLPGA After US Appearance

It's already heating up.

This refers to the Doosan Construction We’ve Championship (total prize money of 1.2 billion KRW), the domestic season opener of the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour. It will be held over four days starting from the 4th of next month at Teddy Valley Golf & Resort (par 72, 6,684 yards) in Seogwipo City, Jeju Island. The KLPGA Tour held two overseas tournaments this month, the Hana Financial Group Singapore Ladies Open and the Blue Canyon Ladies Championship. A total of 120 players will compete in the Doosan Construction We’ve Championship, with the winner decided by 72 holes of stroke play.

Yoo Nina, who was released from a suspension, will make her domestic comeback at the Doosan Construction We’ve Championship.

This tournament promises plenty of excitement. First, long hitter Yoonina will make her domestic comeback. Her suspension from the KLPGA Tour was lifted on the 20th. She will greet domestic golf fans for the first time in 1 year and 9 months since the Hoban Seoul Newspaper Classic in July 2022. In June 2022, during the DB Group 36th Korea Women’s Open, a national title event, Yoonina knowingly continued to play with a ball that was not hers during the round and voluntarily reported this to the Korea Golf Association (KGA) about a month after the tournament ended. She was subsequently given a three-year suspension by the KGA and KLPGA, which was recently reduced to one year and six months, opening the door for her return to the field.

Due to the suspension, Yoonina was unable to participate in KLPGA Tour events. She occasionally appeared on the U.S. minor league golf tours and finished 4th in the qualifying tournament (QT) for the Australian Ladies Professional Golf (WPGA) Tour, using the Australian stage to hone her competitive skills.

Yoonina devoted herself diligently to training. She mainly practiced her shots at Seosan Su Golf & Resort in Seosan, Chungnam Province. She focused on raising her condition to perform well in her comeback tournament. She politely declined separate press conferences and interviews before the first round to prepare for the event. Yoonina expressed her gratitude, saying, "I thank everyone who helped me return early," and added, "I will show growth with a humble and exemplary attitude."

Shin Ji-ae, who is focusing on participating in the Paris Olympics, will challenge for the domestic tournament victory at the Doosan We’ve Championship.

Veteran Shin Ji-ae will also make a rare appearance on the KLPGA Tour. She holds a lifetime exemption with 21 career wins on the KLPGA Tour (including 1 as an amateur). This will be her first domestic KLPGA Tour event in 3 years and 8 months since the Daewoo Winia MBN Ladies Open in August 2020. The BMW Ladies Championship last October was the only LPGA Tour event held in Korea, not a KLPGA Tour event.

Shin Ji-ae is a “living legend.” She has accumulated 11 wins on the LPGA Tour and 30 wins on the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA) Tour, totaling 64 career victories. She is the professional with the most wins in Korea, male or female. Since last year, she has been pushing hard with the goal of competing in the Paris Olympics this August. Up to four players can participate in the Olympics if they rank within the top 15 in the world. Shin Ji-ae, ranked 16th, is fourth after Ko Jin-young (6th), Kim Hyo-joo (9th), and Yang Hee-young (14th).

Shin Ji-ae’s main stage is Japan. She also actively competes in overseas tours that offer ranking points. On the 25th, she tied for 5th place at the LPGA Tour’s Pure Silk Championship. Shin Ji-ae has fond memories of Teddy Valley Golf & Resort. She won the BC Card Classic held at this course in June 2008. Her last domestic tournament victory was the MetLife Korea Economic KLPGA Championship in September 2010. Shin Ji-ae expressed confidence, saying, "I will be competing in the tournament held in Jeju. I will show good play."