Park Minji "GO for Defending Titles in 3 Tournaments"... Park Hyunkyung's 'Rematch for Runner-up'

Major DB Group Aims for 2nd Consecutive Win at Korea Women's Open, 'Champ Squad' Jo Ah-yeon and Sung Yu-jin Compete for Title

Park Minji challenges a consecutive two-time victory in three tournaments in one season at the DB Group Korea Women's Open.

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] Park Min-ji (24) is once again defending her title.

On the 16th, at the Rainbow Hills Golf Club in Eumseong, Chungbuk (par 72, 6,763 yards), the Korean Women's Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour major DB Group Korea Women's Open (total prize money 1.2 billion KRW) kicks off. She has already achieved back-to-back wins last month at the NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship and last week at the Celltrion Queens Masters. If she wins this tournament, she will set a remarkable record of defending three tournament titles in one season for the first time in 40 years.

Domestically, the late Ku Ok-hee is the only one who succeeded in back-to-back wins in three tournaments?the Suwon Open, Donghae Open, and KLPGA Championship?in 1982. This is a great opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with the 'legend of the KLPGA Tour.' Park Min-ji dominated the domestic stage last year. She swept six wins last season, taking both the most wins and the grand prize. In particular, she set a new milestone by becoming the first in KLPGA Tour history to surpass 1.5 billion KRW (1,521,370,000 KRW) in prize money in a single season.

This year, she missed the opening Lotte Rent-a-Car Ladies Open due to COVID-19 and had to withdraw from the Nexen Saint Nine Masters due to aftereffects. However, it did not take long for her to show her previous form. She recorded her first win of the season at the NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship, a tournament sponsored by her sponsor, and at the Celltrion Queens Masters, she reached her 12th career win by securing her second victory of the season.

She ranks first in wins and prize money (419,030,000 KRW), second in the grand prize points (242 points), and third in average score (70.36 strokes). Last week's tournament saw her demonstrate peak form by winning 'wire-to-wire.' Above all, she is strong at the challenging Rainbow Hills Golf Club. She won last year's tournament with a record-tying lowest score (271 strokes). Park Min-ji said, "If I defend three tournament titles, it will be a record like the legendary player (Ku Ok-hee)," and added, "I will definitely challenge with the goal of winning."

Hyun-Kyung Park aims for revenge at the DB Group Korea Women's Open.

This is Park Hyun-kyung's (22) revenge match. Last year, she settled for second place, two strokes behind, with a '3-on 2-putt' bogey on the 18th hole (par 4). This year, she has shown consistent performance by earning prize money in all nine tournaments. Her best result this season is 5th place at the Mediheal Championship. The champion group of this year includes Yoo Hae-ran (21), who ranks first in the grand prize (258 points) and average score (70.12 strokes), as well as Cho A-yeon, Sung Yoo-jin, Jung Yoon-ji (all 22), Hong Jeong-min (20), Park Ji-young (26), and Jang Soo-yeon (28).

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