Lee Jung-min 'I am the Major Queen'... Jeon Ye-seong 'Ties 18-Hole Lowest Score'

First Major Win at KLPGA Championship
11th Career Victory, Prize Money of 234 Million KRW
Jeon Yesung Runner-up with 60 Strokes, Bang Silshin Tied for 3rd Place

Lee Jeong-min has become a ‘Major Queen’ for the first time in her career.

Lee Jeong-min is teeing off at the 2nd hole of the 4th round of the KLPGA Championship.
[Photo by KLPGA]

On the 28th, at the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour Chris F&C 46th KLPGA Championship (total prize money 1.3 billion KRW) held at Lakewood Country Club in Yangju, Gyeonggi-do (par 72, 6,554 yards), she shot a 6-under-par 66 with 7 birdies and 1 bogey in the 4th round. She defeated Jeon Ye-seong by 4 strokes and claimed the top spot with a total score of 23-under-par 265. This is her 11th career win, 16 months after the PLK Pacific Links Korea Championship in December 2022, with a winner’s prize of 234 million KRW. On the 17th hole (par 3) of the 3rd round the previous day, she made a hole-in-one and received a Mercedes-Benz vehicle worth approximately 76 million KRW as a prize, earning over 300 million KRW in total income.

The 23-under-par 265 scored by Lee Jeong-min ties the record for the lowest 72-hole score on the KLPGA Tour. Kim Ha-neul recorded 23-under-par 265 at the MBN·Kim Young-joo Golf Women’s Open in August 2013, and Yoo Hae-ran matched the same score at the Jeju Samdasoo Masters in August 2020. Born in January 1992, Lee Jeong-min also became the first winner in her 30s this season. Last season, two winners in their 30s emerged: Lee Jeong-min at the PLK Pacific Links Korea Championship held as a 2023 season event in December 2022, and Park Ju-young at the Daebo House D Open in September 2023.

Jeon Ye-seong made an impressive performance by recording 12 birdies without any bogeys. She jumped from a tie for 19th place the previous day to 2nd place (19-under-par 269). She set the KLPGA Tour records for the lowest 18-hole score and the most birdies in 18 holes. Besides Jeon Ye-seong, Lee Jeong-eun6 scored 60 in the 2nd round of the OK Savings Bank Park Seri Invitational in September 2017, which included 1 eagle and 10 birdies. Before Lee Jeong-eun6, Jeon Mi-jung held the record with 61 strokes in the 2nd round of the Paradise Invitational in 2003.

Bang Shin-sil was unable to lower her score and settled for a tie for 3rd place (16-under-par 272). Kim Min-byeol and Park Ji-young also joined this group. Yoon Yi-na added 3 under par to finish 9th (12-under-par 276). Returning to the field this year, she entered the ‘Top 10’ for the first time in her fourth tournament. Last year’s champion of this event, Lee Da-yeon, finished tied for 26th place (8-under-par 280).