“As my career progresses, winning feels more difficult. I worried a lot about whether I could win 10 wins, but I am happy that I achieved it in good condition.”
‘Veteran’ Lee Jung-min (30), who is celebrating her 13th year on the Korean Women’s Professional Golf (KLPGA) tour this year, expressed her feelings after reaching the 10-win mark in her career.
In the final 3rd round of the KLPGA Tour PLK Pacific Rings Korea Championship (total prize money of 700 million won) held at the Twin Doves Golf Club (par 72) in Binh Duong, Vietnam on the 18th, Lee Jung-min reduced 1 stroke with 4 birdies and 3 bogies for a final total of 9 under par 207 Taro won the championship.
Lee Jung-min, who achieved a thrilling victory in the Dongbu Construction and Korea Land Trust Championship in October of last year after 5 years and 7 months, added a come-from-behind victory after 1 year and 2 months. The Dongbu Construction/Korea Real Estate Trust Championship was a modified Stableford method in which scores for each hole were calculated as points. It has been six years and nine months since the World Ladies Championship in March 2016 to win the stroke play competition.
Lee Jung-min, who started the final round in second place by one stroke, took advantage of the faltering gap of his competitors in the early stages and made four birdies up to the 12th hole, taking the lead by six strokes at one point. Afterwards, he committed three consecutive bogeys in the 14th to 16th holes in the second half, but was no longer allowed to pursue and achieved a double-digit victory 13 years after his debut on the KLPGA tour.
Lee Jung-min said, “I made a mistake because there was a lot of wind in the second half of the game and the pin was stuck in the most difficult place.”
Lee Jung-min was sluggish at the beginning of this year due to a back injury. The prize money ranking for the 2022 season stayed at 84th. He said, “It was difficult to show my performance because I continued to compete in competitions with my injuries not properly healed.”
The average putt was also low enough to stay in 111th place (31.67), but this tournament was different. Lee Jung-min was delighted, saying, “A lot of putter research shone in the last competition in 2022.”
To improve his putting, Lee Jung-min showed enthusiasm by attending a putting seminar conducted by coach Stephen Sweeney on the PGA Tour last month.
Coach Sweeney, who coaches top players such as Colin Morikawa (USA), Sergio Garcia (Spain), Shane Lowry (Northern Ireland), and Lee Kyung-hoon, visited Korea last month and held a seminar with KPGA Korean Tour coach Kim Gyu-tae. Lee Jung-min, who researches and worries about golf, has earned the nickname ‘seeker of the field’.
“The most important thing is not to get hurt,” said Lee Jung-min, who won the tournament, which was incorporated into the 2023 season competition and was held. He said, “Winning is important, but I want to continue my career as a player without injury while playing golf.”
Ko Ji-woo (20), who competed with Lee Jung-min for the championship until the last minute, tasted heaven and hell at the same time that day. Ko Ji-woo caught a chip-in birdie on the 17th hole (par 3) and chased Lee Jeong-min, who was shaking, to the chin by two strokes. However, the dream of winning was dashed on the last hole 18 (par 5). 토토사이트
The tee shot fell into the water, and the third shot hit with a penalty stroke also entered the penalty area. In the end, he recorded a quadruple bogey losing 4 strokes in one hole and finished the tournament with a tie for 7th place (3 under par 213 strokes).
Choi Ye-rim (23), who recorded only runner-up four times in total, started the final round as the lead, but lost three strokes on the last day and had to be satisfied with the fifth runner-up (6 under par, 210 strokes). Seo Eo-jin (21) ranked third (5 under par, 211 strokes), while Hong Jeong-min (20), Lee So-young (25), and Heo Da-bin (24) were tied for fourth place (4 under par, 212 strokes).