Ko Jin-young "Final Victory Prize Queen"... Runner-up Kim Se-young is 'Player of the Year' (Summary)

CME Group Tour Championship 5-Stroke Victory with 1.2 Billion Jackpot, Park In-bi Ties for 35th, New Season Starts in January with Diamond Resort Tournament

Ko Jin-young raises her hand in celebration immediately after winning the final event of the 2020 season, the CME Group Tour Championship. Naples, Florida, USA = Getty Images / Multibits Photo by Getty Images

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] It is a spectacular finale for 'Number 1' Ko Jin-young (25).

On the 21st (Korean time), at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida, USA (par 72, 6,556 yards), Ko Jin-young surged with a 6-under-par on the final day of the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event of the 2020 LPGA Tour season (total prize money $3 million), securing a commanding 5-stroke victory (18-under-par 270). This marks her 7th career win, her first in 1 year and 4 months since winning the CP Women's Open last August. She earned $1.1 million (1.2 billion KRW) in prize money, becoming the 'Money Queen' with total earnings of $1,667,925. This is Korea's 7th win of the year.

Starting one stroke behind in second place, Ko Jin-young collected seven birdies (one bogey). She took the lead after birdies on holes 1 and 6, then briefly paused with a bogey on the 9th hole (par 4). In the back nine, she broke away from her competitors with three consecutive birdies on holes 12 to 14, and sealed a brilliant finish with 'stepping stone birdies' on holes 16 and 18. She powered her game with an average driving distance of 261 yards and a pinpoint iron shot accuracy of 94% on greens.

Ko Jin-young is the player who achieved 10 wins on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour. In 2017, she won the KEB Hana Bank Championship held domestically as a non-member, securing a 'direct ticket to the LPGA Tour.' In February 2018, she won the Australian Women's Open, marking a rare debut victory for the first time in 67 years since Beverly Hanson (USA) in 1951, and earned the 'Rookie of the Year' award. Last year, she captured four wins including two majors, achieving a grand slam of four titles.

This year, amid the global spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), she stayed in Korea and competed on the KLPGA Tour. After a delayed return to the field at the Pelican Women's Championship last month, she dramatically secured a spot in the final event by finishing tied for second at last week's U.S. Women's Open. Despite playing only four of the 18 events this season, she topped the money list, defending her title as money leader and world number one for the second consecutive year. She exclaimed, "An unbelievable thing has happened."

Se-young Kim (left) and Jin-young Ko are carefully reading the putting line on the 3rd hole on the final day of the CME Group Tour Championship. Naples, Florida, USA = Getty Images / Multibits

Defending champion Kim Sei-young (27, Mirae Asset) exchanged three birdies for three bogeys and failed to lower her score. She tied for second place (13-under-par 275) with Hannah Green (Australia). Although she narrowly missed defending her title, she enjoyed the joy of winning the Rookie of the Year award for the first time in her career by finishing runner-up. However, despite ranking first in scoring average, she lost the Vare Trophy to Danielle Kang (USA) because she did not meet the minimum required rounds (48 rounds).

Korea's other players include Yoo So-yeon (30, Mediheal) tied for 13th (7-under-par 281), Shin Ji-eun (28, Hanwha Q CELLS) tied for 23rd (5-under-par 283), and Yang Hee-young (31, Woori Financial Group) tied for 30th (3-under-par 285). Park In-bee (32, KB Financial Group), who was first in both money and Player of the Year rankings, dropped one stroke to tie for 35th (2-under-par 286). The LPGA Tour will start the new season on January 21 next year at the Diamond Resorts Tournament in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA.

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