For Kim Se-young (30, Mediheal), Hawaii is no different from the ‘promised land’.
It’s because she wrote a dramatic take-over at the Lotte Championship of the LPGA Tour held at Ko Olina Golf Course in Hawaii in 2015.
At the tournament, Kim Se-young’s second shot fell into the pond on the 72nd hole, the 18th hole (par 4), against In-bi Park (35, KB Financial Group), the ‘Emperor of Golf’. However, the fourth chip shot around the green was sucked into the hole and the game was extended into overtime.
And in the first game of overtime played in the same hole, he lifted the championship trophy with a magical shot eagle where the second shot was sucked into the hole.
It was the most dramatic win out of Kim Sei-young’s 12 individual wins on the LPGA Tour (including 1 major win). At the same time, he was given modifiers such as ‘Master of Reversal’, ‘Wizard in Red Pants’, and ‘The Girl Who Called Miracles’.
Such a Lotte Championship will be held in Hawaii for four days from the 13th of this week. However, instead of going to Hawaii, Kim Se-young boarded a plane to Incheon. There is a good reason for entering Hawaii and giving up the multiplier build that has stalled since the 2020 Pelican Women’s Championship.
This is because he has to compete in a competition hosted by none other than his main sponsor. The KLPGA Tour Mediheal and Hankook Ilbo Championships (total prize money of 1 billion won, prize money of 181 million won) will be held at the Ferrum Club (par 72, 6652 yards) in Yeoju-si, Gyeonggi-do for four days from the 13th.
It is the first time since last year that Kim Sei-young, who has five wins on the KLPGA Tour, appeared in a domestic tournament. Kim Se-young failed to pass the cut in last year’s competition, which was the first year of the competition.
After finishing the first round of the LPGA Tour LA Open last week and withdrawing due to poor physical condition, Sei-young Kim returned home and started preparing for this tournament. In addition to checking shots with his teacher, Pro Lee Gyeong-hoon, he went through intensive physical training.
Kim Se-young said, “The shot feeling is so good that it is not an exaggeration to say that it is the best throughout my career as a player.” Taking this into account, I will show a good image to domestic golf fans.”
Players belonging to Mediheal, who are active on the LPGA Tour, are also mobilized. Annalin (27) and her eldest sister Ryu So-yeon (33), who have been active on the LPGA tour since last year after passing the LPGA Tour Qualifying Series, will participate. 안전놀이터
Park Ji-young (28, Korea Land Trust), who is the first champion and has one win of the season, has two consecutive wins in the tournament, and Lee Ye-won (20, KB Financial Group), who won her first win at the Lotte Rent-A-Car Women’s Open last week, is on the hunt for the championship for two consecutive weeks.
Lee So-young (26, Lotte), who is ranked 1st in the grand prize points and 3rd in prize money this season, Jung-min Lee (31, Hanwha Q Cells) and Hyun-kyung Park (23, Korea Land Trust), who won 10 wins in the KLPGA Tour for the 14th time in history, 2022 season Daseungwang and prize money kings Park Min-ji (25, NH Investment & Securities) and Kim Su-ji (27, Dongbu Construction) are also strong candidates for the championship.