'Prize Money No.1' Park Minji Already 3 Wins "This Time Match Queen"... Park Jooyoung 2nd Place

Doosan Match Play Championship Final '3-Hole Victory', Secures Top Spot in Order of Merit, Ji Hansol Ranks 3rd

Park Minji is cheering while holding the trophy immediately after winning the Doosan Match Play Championship. Photo by KLPGA

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-jun] "An unstoppable 7 consecutive wins."

‘Domestic No. 1’ Park Min-ji (23, NH Investment & Securities) has already reached her 3rd victory of the 2021 Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour season. On the 23rd, at the Doosan Match Play Championship (total prize money 800 million KRW) final held at Radenna Golf Club in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province (par 72, 6,333 yards), she defeated Park Joo-young (31, Dongbu Construction) by 3 holes. Following her win at the NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship on the 16th, this marks her ‘2 consecutive weekly wins’ and her 7th career victory, with a prize of 200 million KRW.

Park Min-ji started off well by making a birdie on the 2nd hole (par 5), lost the 3rd hole (par 3), but then took a 2-hole lead with ‘stepping stone birdies’ on the 5th and 7th holes. Park Joo-young’s counterattack was also fierce. She made consecutive birdies on the 10th and 12th holes to even the score, and a tense rally ensued between the 13th hole (par 3) and the 14th hole (par 4). It was surprising that Park Min-ji swept the final 15th to 17th holes. She made birdies on the 15th and 17th holes, while Park Joo-young collapsed with a bogey on the 16th hole (par 4).

Park Min-ji is a 5th-year player who joined the tour in 2017. She first gained the spotlight by winning the Samchully Together Open during her rookie season and has consistently secured at least one win every year. This year, she especially succeeded early in ‘hunting 3 wins’ in 6 tournaments, solidifying her dominant position. She is also aiming to sweep individual titles such as most wins, top prize money (486 million KRW), and top points for the Player of the Year (170 points). She said, "I played with the mindset of giving it my all on the course," and expressed her fighting spirit, "I want to add one more win in the first half of the year."

Park Joo-young regretted her ‘3-putt bogey’ on the 16th hole (par 3). Although she secured a spot in the final after an overtime battle against Jung Yeon-joo (29, Daebang Construction) in the morning semifinals, she could not overcome the final hurdle. The second shot on the 18th hole (par 5) in the semifinals was a memorable moment. From a fairway bunker at the edge of a pond, she managed to escape with her feet in the water and showed fighting spirit by ultimately making a birdie. Ji Han-sol (25, Dongbu Construction) took 3rd place by defeating Jung Yeon-joo by 2 holes.

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