Park In-bee's March "Major 8 Wins GO with 2 Consecutive Victories"... 'Number 1' Ko Jin-young Joins

Challenge for 22nd Career Win at ANA Inspiration, Imirim Aims for Title Defense, Elite Members Including Yusoyeon and Kim Seyoung Gathered

Park In-bee challenges a consecutive win at the season's first major, the ANA Inspiration.

[Asia Economy Reporter Noo Rae Noh] ‘Golf Empress’ Park In-bee (33, KB Financial Group) is on a march for her second consecutive victory.

On the night of the 1st (Korean time), the LPGA Tour ANA Inspiration (total prize money $3.1 million) held at Mission Hills Golf Club in Rancho Mirage, California (par 72, 6,763 yards) is a fierce battleground. It is the first major of the year, with a winner's prize of $465,000 (5.3 billion KRW). Since Park Ji-eun (42, retired) won the first victory in 2004, Korea has combined for six wins. Ko Jin-young (26) won in 2019, and Im Ji-rim (31, NH Investment & Securities) took the title last year.

Park In-bee is the first in golf history to achieve the ‘Career Golden Slam’. She became the youngest winner (19 years, 11 months, 6 days) at the 2008 US Women’s Open. She added victories at the 2013 ANA Inspiration (Nabisco Championship) and Wegmans LPGA Championship, and the 2015 AIG Women’s Open (British Women’s Open) to complete the ‘Career Grand Slam’, then added the gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics to achieve the ‘Career Golden Slam’.

In June of the same year, Park was inducted into the Hall of Fame as the youngest ever (27 years, 10 months, 28 days). She is the 25th inductee in history and the second Korean after Park Se-ri (44, retired) in 2007. Debuting in 2007, she has accumulated 21 wins including 7 majors, a ‘living legend’. This year, she is further motivated by securing a ‘Tokyo Olympic ticket’. With her Kia Classic win last week, she rose to world ranking No. 2, second only to Ko Jin-young among Korean players.

As of June, Korea can send up to four players within the ‘Top 15’. This is virtually a secure ticket to Tokyo. She is currently showing peak form. At the season’s first tournament, the Kia Classic, she led wire-to-wire over four days to win. Her ‘needle-like iron shots’ and ‘saltwater putting’ remain sharp. Park In-bee, who said “My father dreamed of a two-week consecutive win,” expressed confidence, saying, “Half of it is already achieved,” and “I look forward to the first major.”

Ko Jin-young aims for her first win of the season at the ANA Inspiration.

Ko Jin-young is also strong. Following a 4th place at the Gainbridge LPGA on the 1st, she also finished 4th at the Kia Classic. She is knocking on the top again after 2019. Im Ji-rim is attempting a consecutive win. Last September, she fired 5-under on the final day to tie with Nelly Korda (USA) and Brooke Henderson (Canada), then made a precious ‘winning birdie’ on the first hole of the resumed playoff at the 18th hole (par 5). However, she struggled at the Kia Classic, finishing tied for 56th.

Korea has a full lineup of elite members including 2017 champion Yoo So-yeon (31), Kim Se-young (28, both Mediheal), Park Sung-hyun (28), Lee Jeong-eun 6 (25, Daebang Construction), and Kim Ah-rim (26, SBI Savings Bank). Jeon In-ji (27, KB Financial Group), who was disqualified for not signing her scorecard after the second round of the Kia Classic, is preparing for redemption. This year’s champion group includes dark horses such as last year’s runner-up Nelly, Jessica Korda, and Austin Ernst (all USA).

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