'Number 1' Ko Jin-young "Major Mock Test"... Kim Se-young Takes 'Rest'

Volunteers of America Classic Victory Challenge, So-Yeon Ryu Returns After 10 Months, Inbee Park and Sung-Hyun Park Join

Ko Jin-young challenges for her first season win at the Volunteers of America Classic.

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] "Protect the 'Number 1' position."

Ko Jin-young (25) is heading to Texas ahead of next week's major US Women's Open. The Volunteers of America Classic, part of the LPGA Tour, will be held on the 4th (Korean time) at Old American Golf Club in The Colony, Texas (par 71, 6,475 yards). The total prize money is $1.75 million, making it a fierce battleground. She is determined to "defend the world No. 1 ranking with a victory." Amid the global spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) this year, she stayed in Korea.

Instead of the LPGA Tour, she competed on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour. She thoroughly prepared by focusing on physical training and swing correction. Starting with the Lotte Cantata Ladies Open in June, she played six tournaments up to last month's Hana Financial Group Championship. She demonstrated her undiminished skills by finishing in the 'Top 10' four times, including a runner-up finish at the major KB Financial Group Championship. On the 19th of last month, she played her first tournament on the US stage at the Pelican Women's Championship.

At that time, she said, "I thought a lot about whether to go to the US," and added, "I plan to participate in all three remaining tournaments." Her comeback after a year resulted in a tie for 34th place. Over four days, she showed stable play with a fairway hit rate of 91% and 28 putts per round. However, her greens in regulation were 59%, and her strong suit, the 'pinpoint iron shots,' caused trouble. She struggled to create birdie opportunities and could not post a satisfying score.

On the other hand, Kim Sei-young (27, Mirae Asset) launched a fierce chase. After winning her third major, the KPMG Women's Championship in October, she collected the Pelican Women's Championship trophy just one month later. It was her second win of the season and 12th career victory. Currently ranked 2nd (7.38 points), the gap with Ko Jin-young (7.79 points) has narrowed to just 0.41 points. For Ko Jin-young, this is a crisis where she could lose the top spot she has held for 1 year and 5 months since July last year.

Yoo So-yeon will make her comeback after 10 months at the Volunteers of America Classic.

She used the week without tournaments last week to sharpen her dulled shot sense. Taking advantage of Kim Sei-young's absence from the Volunteers of America Classic, she aims to solidify her 'Number 1' status. Yoo So-yeon (30, Mediheal) will appear for the first time in 10 months since finishing runner-up at the ISPS Handa Vic Open in February. The lineup includes past champions such as Park In-bee (32, KB Financial Group), who won in 2013 and 2015, Park Sung-hyun (27), the 2018 champion, and Shin Ji-eun (28, Hanwha Q CELLS), the 2016 champion.

Korea's team also includes 'ANA Inspiration Champion' Lee Mi-rim (30, NH Investment & Securities), 'ISPS Handa Vic Open Champion' Park Hee-young (33, Isu Group), Lee Jeong-eun 6 (24), Hur Mi-jung (31, both Daebang Construction), Yang Hee-young (31, Woori Financial Group), and Jeon In-ji (26, KB Financial Group). This year's winners such as Sophia Popov (Germany), Stacy Lewis, Ally McDonald, Austin Ernst (all USA), Gaby Lopez (Mexico), and Mel Reid (England) are also on the list.

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