‘Geumuihwanhyang’ Ko Jin-young "My New Goal Is World No. 1"

CME Group Tour Championship Victory and Return Home "This Year's Score is 80, Expecting to Regain 'Number 1' Next Year"

Ko Jin-young is waving her hand while holding a bouquet after returning home through Incheon International Airport on the 23rd.

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] "I will reclaim the 'Number 1' spot as soon as possible."

'Number 2' Ko Jin-young (26) returned home triumphantly through Incheon International Airport on the 23rd. This was right after securing her 5th win of the season and defending her title at the CME Group Tour Championship (total prize money $5 million), the final event of the 2021 LPGA Tour season, held the previous day at Tiburon Golf Club (par 72) in Naples, Florida, USA. She completed her best year by becoming the first Korean player to be the 'top money winner for three consecutive years' and winning the Player of the Year award for the first time in two years since 2019.

"I hadn't really thought about being world No. 1 because Nelly Korda (USA) has such solid performance, so to get back to No. 1, I need to win a few more tournaments," she explained. "If I perform better next season than this year, I think I can reach No. 1 as soon as possible." She lost the No. 1 spot to Korda after experiencing a slump early in the season. After winning the CME Group Tour Championship, the points difference between the two players is only 0.13.

"This year was tougher than any other, and my emotional ups and downs were bigger, so I think I used more energy," Ko Jin-young reflected. "The comeback victory in the final tournament made the finish even more thrilling," she added. "It will be a memorable year." She continued, "I think I was lucky to win the money title and Player of the Year awards," and smiled brightly, saying, "It is a great honor to be the first Korean to receive the Player of the Year award twice."

However, Ko Jin-young has one lingering regret: her tied 9th place finish at the Tokyo Olympics last August. "If I were to give myself a score for this season, I would deduct 20 points for not winning a major and the disappointment at the Tokyo Olympics, so I would give myself 80 points," she said. "The happiest moment this year was winning the CME Group Tour Championship." Due to the quarantine period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, she was unable to be with her grandmother during her final moments in March. She plans to be the first to greet her grandmother.

She also shared a story about dreaming of her grandmother just before participating in last month's Cognizant Founders Cup and then winning the tournament. Although she has achieved a lot, her challenges are not over. "I think I have wrist pain from playing too much golf," she said. "During the rest period, I plan to watch movies that can motivate me." She expressed her gratitude, saying, "The 2021 season is over, and I thank everyone for their support," and promised, "I will come back healthy next year."

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