Hong Ji-won (23, YOJIN E&C) has emerged as the “Major Queen” of the Korean Ladies Professional Golf (KLPGA) Tour after winning her second career tournament in a come-from-behind victory.
Hong Ji-won shot a 1-under 71 with six birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey to win the final round of the DB Group 37th Korean Women’s Open ($1.2 billion in prize money), the second major of the KLPGA Tour season, at Rainbow Hills Country Club (Par 72-6721 yards) in Eumseong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do on Monday. Her final total was 12-under par 276.
Hong Ji-won, who was in a playoff with Madasom (24-Samcheon-ri) and Kim Min-byul (19-Height Jin-ro), won the title after a second playoff. It was her first major victory on the KLPGA Tour in 10 months after her maiden victory at the Hanwha Classic in August last year.
Hong began the final round in third place, three strokes behind the leader. She started with a birdie on the par-5 first, but a double bogey on the par-4 second, a bogey on the par-3 third, and a birdie on the par-4 fifth were followed by a bogey on the par-4 ninth. However, back-to-back birdies on Nos. 10 through 12 moved him up the leaderboard, and a birdie on No. 15 (par-4) cut the deficit to one. Hong Ji-won bogeyed the 16th (par-5) to move into a share of the lead after Madasom made a double bogey on the 17th (par-3). Hong Ji-won and Madasom birdied the 18th (par-4) and second-ranked Kim Min-byul birdied to force a three-way playoff. This is the first time three players have advanced to the final round at the Korean Women’s Open.스포츠토토
All three players made par in the first round of play to reach the second round. Kim Min-byul made par and Madasom bogeyed, but Hong Ji-won hit her second shot from the rough into the hole for birdie and the win.
“I didn’t expect to win because I was three shots off the lead at halftime, but I birdied 1, 2, and 3 in the second half and thought I could catch up, so I worked hard and won,” Hong told the KLPGA after the match.
“I doubled my putting practice to make up for my shortcomings,” he said, “Accuracy is my weapon rather than long distance. Even if I’m behind my opponent on the fairway, I’m confident I can get it closer to the pin.” “My goal is to win the remaining three majors and complete the Grand Slam,” he concluded.