Park Hyejun Claims First Win After 72 Attempts: "I Want to Keep Smiling"

Debuted in 2022, Claims First Career Victory at Lotte Open
Australian-Educated, Known for Powerful Long Drives
Earns Spot at LPGA Tour Lotte Championship
"My Ultimate Goal Is to Be Inducted into the Hall of Fame"

She blossomed a little later than others. This is the story of Park Hyejun, who is currently active on the KLPGA Tour. On July 6, at the Lotte Open held at Bears Best Cheongna in Incheon, she claimed her first victory in her 72nd attempt. In an interview with Asia Economy on July 10, she laughed and said, "Nothing has changed just because I won," adding, "I'm still training hard as always."

Hyejun Park, who studied in Australia, is regarded as a promising talent to lead the KLPGA Tour. Photo by KLPGA

Park Hyejun studied in Australia. When she was in sixth grade, she moved to Gold Coast, Queensland. She explained, "My parents wanted me to experience different cultures, and they thought it would be good for me to improve my English, so they decided to send me abroad." There, she honed her golf skills and, as an amateur, won several tournaments organized by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), gaining recognition as a promising talent. She also competed against Grace Kim and Stephanie Kyriacou, both of whom are now active on the LPGA Tour.

While she was making steady progress toward joining the LPGA, an unexpected variable arose in 2021. Due to the impact of COVID-19, she had no choice but to return to Korea at the age of 19. She confessed, "Honestly, I hadn't considered the KLPGA Tour, but because of environmental factors, I started my professional career in Korea. If it hadn't been for COVID-19, I would have taken the test in the United States."

Park Hyejun's strength is her positive mindset that she can do anything. Photo by KLPGA

She joined the KLPGA Tour in August 2021 and secured full status by finishing third at the KLPGA 2022 regular tour seed ranking tournament in November of the same year. She debuted on the regular tour in 2022, but her performance fell short of expectations. She played in 27 tournaments, finished in the top 10 twice, and lost her tour card after ranking 71st on the money list (122.94 million won). In 2023, she had to compete on the Dream (second division) Tour. She said, "At first, it was not easy to adjust. The grass was different, and I didn't know anyone, so everything felt unfamiliar."

Meanwhile, her peers Lee Yewon and Yoon Yina were performing impressively on the first division tour. Park Hyejun said, "After dropping to the second division tour, I resolved to use it as an opportunity to further hone my skills. Because I was able to relax, I managed to return to the KLPGA Tour the following year." After returning to the regular tour last year, she finished runner-up at both the Doosan Construction We’ve Championship and the Jeju Samdasoo Masters, and placed in the top 10 a total of five times. She added, "Since I’m the same age as Lee Yewon and Yoon Yina, I was often compared to them, but I never felt rushed just because I hadn’t won. I always had the confidence that I would win eventually."

Park Hyejun, a tall golfer standing 177 cm, is known for her powerful driver shots. Photo by KLPGA

This victory was a valuable result earned after a challenging journey. Until the middle of the final round of the Lotte Open, she led the second-place group by five shots, but allowed them to catch up, and on the 18th hole (par 5), Noh Seunghee caught up to tie. However, she secured a dramatic victory by sinking a birdie putt from less than 40 cm. Park Hyejun exclaimed, "I started playing golf because I wanted to live a happy life as a child, and I am truly delighted that a happy moment has come today."

With this win, she earned the chance to compete on the LPGA stage, a dream she had since childhood. She will play at the LPGA Tour Lotte Championship in Hawaii, United States, this October. She said, "When I joined the KLPGA Tour, I promised myself I would compete on the LPGA Tour after winning many titles. Since I was fortunate enough to earn a spot, I will approach it with the mindset of gaining valuable experience." She added, "Although it will be my first time playing on the LPGA Tour, I will prepare as usual. I want to learn as much as I can."

Hyejun Park expressed her desire to improve her lacking green play and challenge herself on a big stage. Photo by KLPGA

Park Hyejun is one of the tallest players representing the KLPGA, boasting a height of 177 cm and a solid physique. She is known for her dynamic play and short shot interval. It only takes her 13 seconds to prepare for a shot. "It's not that I hit carelessly; I just prefer to play quickly and confidently," she said. Her average driving distance reaches 230 to 240 meters. She analyzed, "I want to make my name better known in Korea before challenging bigger stages. To succeed on the LPGA, I need to increase my driving distance and improve my short game."

She enjoys watching the play of world-class male golfers. She is also interested in the training methods of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Scottie Scheffler. She said, "It's very helpful to learn not only about their swings but also about the efforts they made to reach their current positions."

Park Hyejun wants to be known as a "smiling player" on the field. "I naturally smile a lot. I want to be remembered as a player who brings good vibes. I want to keep smiling throughout my career." She added, "I think the bigger the dream, the better. My ultimate goal is to be inducted into the Hall of Fame."

Hyejun Park said she always wants to be a player who smiles on the field. Photo by KLPGA