[Weekly Hotstar] Hwang Yumin's 'Distance Meter Happening'

Small Stature, Huge Power: Opening Game Victory Leader
Emotionally True New Generation, Racing for Prize Money and Top Awards
Distance Measurer Dropped Near Ball, No Penalty
"This Year's Goal: Targeting Most Wins and Major Championship"

It is interesting to watch Hwang Yu-min, a second-year player on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour. Despite her small stature, she hits incredibly long drives. She has an aggressive style, earning her the nickname "Commander." Her cute appearance is a bonus. Moreover, her facial expressions are intriguing?she does not hide her likes or dislikes. She embodies the confident new generation.

Hwang Yumin is handing the rangefinder to her caddie on the 2nd hole of the final day at the Doosan Construction We’ve Championship.
[Photo by KLPGA]

On the 7th, Hwang Yu-min secured a one-stroke victory (14-under 274) at the Doosan Construction We’ve Championship (total prize money 1.2 billion KRW), the domestic season opener of the KLPGA Tour held at Teddy Valley Golf & Resort (par 72) in Seogwipo, Jeju Island. This was her second career win, coming nine months after the Daewoo Winia MBN Ladies Open last July, with a winner’s prize of 216 million KRW. She topped the money rankings (252.66 million KRW), the points for the Player of the Year (106 points), and the scoring average (69.36). Her world ranking also jumped 23 places to 40th.

Hwang Yu-min had an unforgettable experience at this tournament, even more talked about than her victory. On the 18th hole of the third round (par 4, 371 yards), while leading by one stroke on the fairway, she accidentally dropped her rangefinder on her ball and nearly incurred a penalty. However, the committee confirmed through video review that the ball did not move, so no penalty was given. She smiled and said, "It was a mistake caused by my lack of focus. I was lucky."

On the final day, Hwang fought a tough battle. From the 12th hole (par 4), her tee shots started to hook left. "Personally, when my shots curve left, I get unsettled," she said. She gripped the club shorter and lowered her trajectory to hit a draw shot. After finishing the last hole (par 4) with a par, she shed tears. "My shots wavered in the latter part of the round, and I was very worried. It was really tough," she honestly shared. "After the round ended, instead of joy, I felt relief that it was over, which brought tears."

During last winter’s training camp, Hwang worked on her short game and putting to improve her weaknesses. She smiled and said, "I trained hard and felt that I grew to the next level. I’m grateful that the results came quickly." Although she won, she remained humble. "There are still many areas that need improvement," she said. She set a higher goal: multiple wins. "Since I got my first win sooner than expected, I think I can play with more confidence in the remaining tournaments," she said emphatically.

She dreams of becoming a major champion. She is targeting the first major tournament of the year, the Chris F&C 46th KLPGA Championship, which will be held over four days starting on the 25th at Lakewood Country Club in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province. "I hope to win the major KLPGA Championship and the Hite Jinro Championship, which is a course I like. Of course, I also want to win the Lotte Open, which is a sponsor’s tournament," she said.