Yoo Hae-ran: "This Year, the Golf Queen of April" ... "Together with the Cloud Gallery"

KLPGA Tour 2022 Season Round 3 Nexen Saintnine Masters Final Day 2-Under Par '1-Stroke Victory', Kwon Seoyeon 2nd Place

Yoo Hae-ran is cheering while holding the trophy immediately after Nexen·Saintnine Masters victory. Photo by KLPGA

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Tied for 3rd in the 1st round → 4th in the 2nd round → Winner in the 3rd round."

Yu Hae-ran (21) has been gaining momentum since the early season. On the 24th, at the Gaya Golf Club in Gimhae, Gyeongnam (Par 72, 6,813 yards), she added 2-under par on the final day of the 3rd round of the 2022 KLPGA Tour Nexen Saintnine Masters (total prize money 800 million KRW) to secure a 1-stroke victory (16-under par 272). This marks her 5th career win, her first in 5 months since the final event of the 2021 season, the SK Shielders SK Telecom Championship in November last year, with a winner's prize of 144 million KRW.

Yu Hae-ran started as the 1-stroke leader and recorded 3 birdies and 1 bogey. Meanwhile, Jeon Hyo-min (23), who was a surprising 2nd place the day before, struggled with 1 birdie and 4 bogeys for 3-over par in the front 9 holes. Yu matched Kwon Seo-yeon (21), who was in 3rd place, by making 3 birdies on holes 1, 7, and 11, engaging in a tight battle. At the 12th hole (par 4), after a '3-on' approach, she successfully saved par from 7.5 yards, demonstrating exceptional crisis management skills. Although she made a '3-putt bogey' on the final 18th hole (par 4), she managed to maintain her 1-stroke lead to win.

It is noteworthy that Yu Hae-ran has never won in spring before. Her first and second wins came in August, the third in September, and the fourth in November. However, this year, she has finished in the top 5 in all three tournaments: tied for 3rd at the Lotte Rent-a-Car Women's Open on the 10th, 4th at the Mediheal on the 17th, and now the win, quickly rising to 1st place in the prize money rankings (240 million KRW). She exclaimed, "I have never performed well early in the season since my amateur days," adding, "This year, I feel the effects of winter training are really paying off." Over 10,000 enthusiastic fans gathered, creating a passionate cheering atmosphere.

Her friend from the national team days, Kwon Seo-yeon, finished 2nd (15-under par 273). Having advanced to the KLPGA Tour with two wins on the Dream (2nd division) Tour last year, she is challenging for Rookie of the Year. Park Gyeol (26, Samil Pharmaceutical) and Jang Ha-na (30, BC Card) tied for 3rd (14-under par 274), while Lee Ga-young (23, NH Investment & Securities) surged with 7-under par to finish tied for 9th (11-under par 277). Jeon Hyo-min ended with 3 birdies, 1 bogey, and 1 double bogey in the back nine, finishing 3-over par and tied for 14th (10-under par 278).

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