Kim Hyoju and Choi Hyejin Set to Shine at Cheongna

Participation in the 15th Lotte Open on the KLPGA Tour
Lotte Group-sponsored Players Aim for Domestic Victory
One Win Each in 2020 and 2023

Overseas-based players Kim Hyoju and Choi Hyejin will compete in a domestic tournament.

On July 3, they will participate in the 15th Lotte Open of the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, held at Bears Best Cheongna Golf Club (par 72, 6,684 yards) in Seo-gu, Incheon. Both players are sponsored by Lotte Group.

Kim Hyoju challenges for the top spot at the Lotte Open. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

Kim Hyoju is ranked No. 9 in the world. She has achieved a total of seven victories on the LPGA Tour. She won the Ford Championship in March, and finished runner-up after a playoff at the Chevron Championship, a major, in April. In May, she claimed back-to-back victories at the Ladies European Tour (LET) Aramco Championship held in Korea. After withdrawing from the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship last month due to back pain, she has recently focused on regaining her condition.

Kim Hyoju, who won this tournament in 2020, said, "I always draw great strength from seeing domestic fans," and added, "I want to repay the support of my fans and sponsors with a good performance in this tournament." She continued, "I have been training consistently to maintain the feel I had when I achieved good results in overseas tournaments earlier this year."

Hyejin Choi aims for victory at the Lotte Open. Photo by AFP

Choi Hyejin is also aiming for a turnaround by winning a domestic tournament. Although she has yet to win on the LPGA Tour, she has posted outstanding results in every event she has entered this season. She has competed in 12 LPGA Tour events and finished in the top 10 five times. Notably, she was runner-up at the Meijer Classic and tied for fourth at the major US Women’s Open, marking four consecutive top-10 finishes in her last four tournaments. She is recalling her victory at the 2023 Lotte Open.

Choi Hyejin, who is seeking the championship trophy for the first time in two years, said, "Since this is my first appearance on the KLPGA Tour this season, I want to deliver a strong performance." She added, "My shots and putting have felt good recently, so I am expecting a good result." She also commented, "Bears Best Cheongna is a challenging course if you miss the fairway or green," and stated, "I will approach the tournament with a strategy focused on minimizing mistakes."