[2020 New Start⑦] 'Dream Tour Prize Queen' Hwang Yena "No Trials"

3 Wins in 2nd Division Tour, Champion Returns to 1st Division; Successful Distance Increase in Vietnam "Gained Confidence"

'Dream Tour Prize Queen' Hwang Yena is posing confidently, predicting a whirlwind season in the 2020 regular tour. Photo by Korea Land Trust

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] "No more trials."

This is the determination of Hwang Ye-na (27, Korea Land & Trust), the 'Dream Tour Money Queen.' Last year, she endured a grueling schedule moving between the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, the Dream (2nd tier) Tour, and the China Ladies Professional Golf Association (CLPGA) Tour. She advanced to the main rounds five times in six regular tour events, and swept three wins in 21 Dream Tour events, becoming the 'Money Queen' and earning her card for the first-tier tour. She expressed confidence, saying, "I gained confidence through becoming the Dream Tour money leader."

She joined the KLPGA in 2011. From 2012, she played in the Jump Tour and Dream Tour. After finishing 79th in earnings (45.04 million KRW) on the regular tour in 2015, she survived qualifying school in 46th place. In 2016, her earnings ranking dropped further to 91st (44.3 million KRW), and she fell to 119th in qualifying school, suffering a bitter defeat. After a year of hardship on the Dream Tour, she re-entered the first-tier tour in 2018 by finishing 3rd in qualifying school, but again shed tears finishing 83rd in earnings (46.91 million KRW).

Despite a tight schedule moving between Korea and China last year, she experienced the prime of her golf career. She showed great momentum by finishing runner-up in the first to third Dream Tour events, then triumphed with a win in the fourth event. She continued to showcase peak form by collecting trophies in the seventh and ninth Dream Tour events. Leading the Dream Tour money race from the start, she comfortably rose to first place with 118.26 million KRW. She is 26.67 million KRW ahead of second-place Kim Ji-soo (26).

In China, she participated in five events and placed in the 'Top 10' in four of them. In December last year, she tasted disappointment at the KLPGA Tour 2020 season opener, the Hyosung Championship. She failed to overcome a 7-over-par on the first day and was cut. She explained, "Last year, playing on three tours drained my stamina, making the end of the season difficult." This is why she rested for ten days and then focused on physical training in Daejeon. After intensive training in Vietnam, she returned home on the 28th of last month.

During training, she focused on increasing driving distance. She worked on increasing head speed. Her average drive shot distance was raised to 250 yards. She is sweating it out at the Golfzon Joymaru Academy in Daejeon. At Yuseong Golf Course in Daejeon, she is checking her shot feel through practice rounds. She is preparing for the domestic season opener, the Lotte Rent-a-Car Women’s Open, on April 9. "I will show good performance in the first-tier without injury," she said.

Hwang Yena receiving a celebratory water shower immediately after winning the 9th round of the Dream Tour last year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.