Korean Women's Open Battleground Bears Best "The Decisive Point is the 'Bear's Minefield'"

"Notorious Course" Holes 12-14, Rough 80mm and Green Speed 3.7m "Over-Par Victory This Year?"

Bears Best, the battleground of the Korean Women's Open, is a notorious course equipped with long fairways, roughs, glassy greens, and strong winds.

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] 'Bear's landmine.'

On the 18th, the Kia Motors Korea Women's Open (total prize money 1 billion KRW) began its epic journey at the battleground, Bears Best Cheongna Golf Club in Incheon. If the PGA National Champions in the U.S. has the 'Bear Trap' (holes 15-17), Bears Best's signature holes are known as the 'Bear's landmine.' This refers to holes 12 (par 3), 13 (par 4), and 14 (par 5). Due to the hidden dangers scattered throughout the course, this section has become a dreaded 'notorious zone' for players.

Many players have lowered their heads after dropping balls into the hazard at the 12th hole. Park Sung-hyun (27) narrowly secured the championship trophy in 2015 despite a critical triple bogey at the 14th hole. This year, players must compete under even tougher conditions. With a par of 72 and a total length of 6,929 yards, it is the most challenging course with clear penalties and rewards. This is the first time a KLPGA Tour venue has exceeded 6,900 yards, increasing by 60 yards compared to last year.

Overcoming the length is difficult, but the rough is an even bigger problem. The rough on both sides of the fairway measures 60-80 mm, and outside the cart path, the rough is a staggering 120-150 mm. If the ball lands here, it becomes invisible. Spin cannot be applied in the rough, and controlling distance is difficult, making it easy to lose strokes. Some players said, "I'm afraid of injuring my wrist, so I can't hit strongly." The fairway width is only 20 meters, so players must hit straight and far to attack.

Relying on luck is also not easy. The greens are entirely surrounded by 80 mm long rough, and every path connecting the fairway to the green is blocked by rough. This means a ball landing in front of the green cannot roll onto it. The water hazard side has the thick rough cut shorter. The luck of the ball getting caught in the rough and not falling into the water has disappeared. But this is not the end. The greens are like glass plates. The speed is expected to increase up to 3.7 m.

Even scarier is the hard green. Low-trajectory shots usually bounce or roll off. It is a 'non-accepting green.' There is no rain forecast during the tournament this year, which is bad news for players hoping for soft greens. In the afternoon, strong winds add another variable. Last year, only three players, including champion Lee Da-yeon (23, Mediheal), scored under par. There is cautious speculation that "this year, the winner might be over par."

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