41 and 18... 'Age Is Just a Number'

41-year-old Hong Jinju Wins 3 Consecutive Champions Tournaments
Sets 18-Hole Lowest Score Record ... "No Plans for Regular Tour"
18-year-old Amateur Lee Jimin Wins Jump Tour 9th Event
First Tournament Victory ... "Aiming for 1st Division Tour Next Year"

41-year-old and 18-year-old became the center of attention.

41-year-old veteran Hong Jin-joo is smiling brightly right after winning the 3rd round of the SBS Golf Champions Tour.
[Photo by KLPGA]

They proved the saying "age is just a number." First, Hong Jin-joo is the protagonist. Born in February 1983, she is a veteran with two wins on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour and a victory at the 2006 LPGA Tour Kolon Hana Bank Championship. On the 16th, at the final second round of the KLPGA SBS Golf Champions Tour 3rd event (total prize money 100 million KRW) held at Aegis Sky CC (par 72, 5,773 yards) in Gunwi-gun, Daegu, she shot a 10-under-par 62, winning by 3 strokes (14-under-par 130). She recorded one shot eagle, nine birdies, and one bogey.

The 10-under-par 62 is the lowest 18-hole score record on the KLPGA Champions Tour. The previous record was 9-under-par set by Yoo Jae-hee in the final round of the 5th event of the 2018 Good Day-Moritan Champions Open. This marks her third consecutive victory from the 1st to the 3rd events of the SBS Golf Champions Tour. She achieved three consecutive wins on the Champions Tour for the first time in 18 years since Kim Hyung-im in 2006, making it the second-ever record in the history of the Champions Tour. She received a winner's prize of 15 million KRW and firmly held the season money ranking first place with 47 million KRW.

Hong Jin-joo exclaimed, "10-under-par is my life-best score. I really didn't expect to achieve my goal of three wins this quickly." She added, "There were no shot mistakes today. I'm happy and delighted to win with such a good performance." She continued, "Recently, my golf has been going well. Many people around me say, 'At this level, shouldn't you try the regular tour again?' But since the young players' skills are really good, I am not considering the first division tour. I will practice harder to become the money king of the Champions Tour and do my best until the end."

On the same day, a surprise star was born at Solago Country Club (par 72, 6,260 yards) in Taean, Chungnam. Amateur 18-year-old Lee Ji-min made a comeback victory (7-under-par 137) at the 9th event of the KLPGA Solago Jump (3rd division) Tour (total prize money 30 million KRW). She made a remarkable achievement by winning the Jump Tour on her first appearance.

18-year-old amateur Lee Ji-min is teeing off at the 9th round of the KLPGA Solago Jump Tour.
[Photo by KLPGA]

An amateur winning on the Jump Tour happened for the first time in about 3 years and 3 months since the 3rd event of the 2021 XGOLF·Baekje CC Jump Tour. At that time, rookie Kim Na-young lifted the trophy as an amateur. This is the third time an amateur has won on their first Jump Tour appearance, following Son Seung-hee and Ji Han-sol in 2014.

Born in July 2006, she first picked up a golf club in the 6th grade of elementary school. Lee Ji-min said, "I followed my father, who gives golf lessons, to the golf course. I loved the feel of hitting the shot so much that I persuaded my parents for a year to become a golf player." She added, "As my parents worried, I struggled a lot after starting golf because I couldn't win or get good results, but this victory feels like it has washed away those difficult moments."

She smiled and said, "I had never won an amateur tournament before, so I am really happy and delighted to win for the first time on the Jump Tour." Regarding the driving force behind her victory, she reflected, "My strategy of playing aggressively without being obsessed with the score worked. I attempted many 2-on shots on par-5 holes, leaving short approach shots, which allowed me to record birdies without much difficulty." She expressed her determination, saying, "I want to consistently achieve good results this year and definitely advance to the regular tour next year. Even if I go to the first division tour, I want to be remembered as a player who plays steadily."