'Match Queen' Hyunkyung Park Aims for First Back-to-Back Victory at Tournament

Doosan Matchplay Kicks Off in Chuncheon on May 14
Park Hyunkyung Ranks 4th in All-Time Winning Percentage, Eyes Top Prize Money with Victory
Park Hyunkyung: "I Want to Reach the Finals for Three Consecutive Years"

Hyunkyung Park is aiming for her first back-to-back championship at the tournament.

She will compete in the 17th Doosan Matchplay, the only match play event on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, which begins on May 14 at Ladena Golf Club (par 72, 6,384 yards) in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. According to the group draw held on the morning of May 13, last year's champion Hyunkyung Park will face Lee Dongun, Cho Hyerim, and Park Gyeol in the group stage.

Defending champion Hyunkyung Park is drawing the player she will compete with in the same group at the Doosan Matchplay group draw ceremony. Doosan Matchplay

The Doosan Matchplay was launched in 2008. Since the inaugural champion Kim Bokyung, no player has won consecutive titles, including last year's winner Hyunkyung Park. Park is currently on an upward trend, having finished tied for 8th at the World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup, a major event on the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA) Tour, which concluded last week at Ibaraki Golf Club in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.

In this tournament, Park has an all-time record of 18 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss, with a winning percentage of 81.8%, ranking fourth in tournament history. The top three are Inbee Park (88.9%), Jeon Inji (87.5%), and Park Sunghyun (85.7%). Among this year's participants, Hyunkyung Park holds the highest winning percentage. She has also competed in this event four times, earning approximately 358.7 million won in prize money, ranking second in total earnings. The top spot is held by Kim Jayoung with 375.97 million won. If Park wins the championship, she will add the winner's prize of 250 million won and move into first place.

Park stated, "It is an honor to compete as the defending champion in the only match play tournament of the year," and added, "I reached the finals for the past two years, winning once and finishing runner-up once, and I want to make it to the finals for a third consecutive year." Compared to last year, the total prize money for the Doosan Matchplay has increased by 100 million won. Sixty-four players will compete, divided into 16 groups of four for the group stage. The winner of each group advances to the round of 16, where the champion will be determined in a knockout format.