‘Eldest sister’ Ji Ji-hee is trying to win her second consecutive title.
Ji-hee will try to win the U.S. Women’s Professional Golf (LPGA) Tour’s Bank of Hope Match Play ($1.5 million in prize money), which begins on Sept. 24 (local time) at Shadow Creek Golf Course (Par 72, 6804 yards) in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Similar to soccer’s World Cup, the 64-player field is divided into 16 groups, with the first-place finisher in each group advancing to the round of 16 and then playing a one-on-one match to determine the winner. This year’s field includes the world’s top three players, including Nelly Koda (USA), Jin Young Ko (Korea), and Lydia Ko (New Zealand).
Ji is a veteran who made her LPGA Tour debut in 2007 and has six career wins, including one major. Last year, she won the event at the age of 36 years and 17 days, becoming the oldest South Korean champion. It was a thrilling victory that came three years and four months after she won the Wangjung Wangjeon Tournament of Champions at the Diamond Resort in January 2019.안전놀이터
Ji-hee went 2-1 in her group before defeating Choi Hye-jin in the round of 16, Madeleine Sachstrom (SWE) in the quarterfinals, Andrea Lee (USA) in the semifinals, and Ayaka Furue (JPN) in the final. Ji Hee has played in eight tournaments this season, reaching the main draw four times. Her best finish was a tie for 11th at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in March. In her most recent event, the Cognizant Founders Cup two weeks ago, she made the cut. Ji-hee is determined to turn things around in the ‘promised land’.
World No. 4 Lilia Boo (USA) after her win. Boo is riding high after winning two majors last month, including the Chevron Championship. She leads the money list ($1,038,778), Player of the Year (94 points), CME Globe Race points (1,347) and scoring average (69.33). Ayaka will be looking to improve on her runner-up finish last year. Brooke Henderson (CAN), Danielle Kang, Jennifer Cupcho and 2021 Match Queen Ally Ewing (USA) round out the field.
South Korea will be counting on “Rookie of the Year” Hae Ran Lee. She has adapted well to the American scene with three top-seven finishes this year. At the Pound’s Cup, she finished fourth in a close race for the title. Ji-Eun Shin, who tied for fifth at the event last year, will also be looking to win. The 2017 Lorena Ochoa Match Play winner is joined by Kim Se-young, Lee Jeong-six, Kim Ah-rim, An Na-lin, and Hong Ye-eun.