Lim Hee-jeong's 'Revival Show' "Did you see the 2 consecutive wins?"... Park Min-ji and Oh Ji-hyun tie for 2nd place

Hi One Resort Women's Open Final Day: Comeback Victory with 5-Under Par over 28 Holes, Heo Da-bin and Kim Jae-hee Tied for 2nd, Lee Ga-young Tied for 6th

Lim Hee-jeong (right) is celebrating with her caddie after making a birdie on the 4th hole during the final day of the Kookmin Shelter High1 Resort Women's Open. Photo by KLPGA

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] Lim Hee-jung (21, Korea Land Trust) has achieved her second consecutive victory.

On the 22nd, at High1 Golf Club in Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon Province (par 72, 6,511 yards), Lim finished the final day of the KLPGA Tour Kookmin Shelter High1 Resort Women's Open (total prize money 800 million KRW) with a 5-under-par over 28 holes, securing a one-stroke victory (11-under-par 277). This marks her fourth career win, her first in 1 year and 10 months since the KB Financial Star Championship in October 2019, with a winner's prize of 144 million KRW. Due to the cancellation of last year's tournament caused by COVID-19, Lim Hee-jung, the 2019 champion, entered as the defending champion.

Lim reduced one stroke over the remaining 10 holes of the third round, which was postponed due to severe weather the previous day, moving up to a tie for third place, three strokes behind. In the fourth round, she showed resilience by making five birdies and one bogey. Although she started shakily with a bogey on the 2nd hole (par 4), she caught up in the race for the championship by making 'two pairs of stepping-stone birdies' on the 4th, 6th, and 8th holes. In the back nine, she added two more birdies on the 11th and 13th holes, taking the lead on the leaderboard and then held steady with pars over the remaining five holes.

Lim Hee-jung emerged as a new force on the KLPGA Tour in her debut year of 2019 by winning three titles. Last year, she finished in the top three five times, including two runner-up finishes, and this year she has entered the top 10 six times but had yet to secure a victory, which had been a source of frustration. Her spectacular comeback at the venue where she won her first career title adds significance. Since her hometown is Taebaek City, Gangwon Province, less than a 30-minute drive away, High1 Golf Club is practically like home.

Although spectators were not allowed, more than 20 cheering banners from residents of Taebaek and Jeongseon were hung around the tournament course. With her first win of the season, Lim jumped to 4th place in the prize money rankings (477.28 million KRW). "I am even happier to win again at the place where I had my first victory," said Lim Hee-jung. "Seeing the cheering banners gave me strength. Now that I have achieved the one win I aimed for this year, I will play future tournaments without pressure," she exclaimed.

Park Min-ji (23, NH Investment & Securities), a six-time champion, fought hard by reducing three strokes but was satisfied with a tie for second place (10-under-par 278). Joining her in second place were Jeju Samdasoo champion Oh Ji-hyun (25, KB Financial Group), Heo Da-bin (23, Samil Pharmaceutical), and Kim Jae-hee (20, Woori Financial Group). Lee Ga-young (22, NH Investment & Securities), who led for three consecutive days, faltered with two over-par and dropped to a tie for sixth place (8-under-par 280). Choi Hye-jin (22, Lotte) finished tied for 18th (2-under-par 286).

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