Why Choi Na-yeon Said "My Athletic Career is a Perfect 100"

Hole-in-One at LPGA Final Event BMW Championship
"That One Shot Covered All My Losses Over the Past 5 Years"
"I Want to Write a Book" but Keeps Distance from Variety Show Appearances

Choi Na-yeon is expressing her thoughts on retirement at a press conference held on the 25th at a restaurant in Seosomun-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Choi Tae-won]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Taewon] "My golf has always been in the negative over the past five years, but that 'one shot' covered it all."

Choi Nayeon (35), who is retiring after a total of 9 wins on the U.S. Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour, expressed her reflections on retirement, saying her career as a player was a "perfect 100 points."

At a retirement press conference held on the morning of the 25th at a restaurant in Seosomun-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, Choi said, "No matter how much I think about it, I never thought I could finish like this (being celebrated), but I think heaven helped me," adding, "Before the BMW Championship, I would have given myself about 70 points, but since it ended well, I want to give myself 100 points."

The 'one shot' she mentioned at the conference was the hole-in-one she made on the 12th hole (par 3) of the third round at the BMW Ladies Championship, which was her last tournament on the LPGA Tour stage. Although her final standing was tied for 47th place, she evaluated that this single shot made up for her slump over the past five years.

With this hole-in-one, Choi Nayeon not only gave a spectacular farewell to her fans but also received a BMW car worth approximately 150 million KRW as a bonus.

At the press conference, Choi also revealed her blueprint for life after retirement.

She said, "When I get older, I might not remember the LPGA Tour, to which I devoted my youth, so I want to write a book first," showing enthusiasm by adding, "I want to make one book that allows people to see my teens, twenties, and thirties."

Unlike her writing plans, she cautiously drew a line regarding appearances on golf variety shows.

She stated, "I want to continue to take golf seriously. I want to share my experiences sincerely, not just for fun," and added, "Although appearing on variety shows might increase my recognition, I think it would be a different path from the mindset I have had about golf."

Having gone through a long slump, she also showed interest in studying sports psychology and a willingness to take on coaching challenges.

Choi said, "I received a lot of help from Dr. Jo Sugyeong, who is famous as a sports mental coach, and it seems Dr. Jo also wants to nurture disciples," and continued, "Dr. Jo said, 'Since your technical skills are good, if you study hard for a few years and also become a mental coach, you could become the world's best coach.'"

She added, "My standards are high. Even if others see my shot as well-placed on the fairway, I was stressed because it wasn’t 100% perfect," and said, "When I coach later, I want to tell people to praise themselves."

Choi Nayeon will conclude her playing career after the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour SK Shieldus·SK Telecom Championship, which starts on the 11th of next month.

Choi Nayeon, who entered the professional stage after winning the ADT Caps Invitational as an amateur in November 2004 when she was a first-year high school student, has played on the LPGA Tour since 2008, achieving 9 wins from the 2009 Samsung World Championship to the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship in June 2015. In 2010, she also topped the LPGA Tour in both earnings and scoring average.

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