‘Quiet Trend’ Park Ji-young "We Must Keep Donating"

Leading in wins, prize money, grand prize, and average strokes with great enthusiasm
Donations since elementary school, role model Sorensdam
"Achieving 10 wins domestically and challenging the US stage"

Park Ji-young is a "quiet rising star."

This year, she has won two tournaments in the first half of the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, leading in wins, prize money (634.57 million KRW), points for the Player of the Year (326 points), and average score (70.19 strokes). She has rapidly emerged as a strong rival to Park Min-ji, who has dominated the tour for the past two years. In an interview with Asia Economy on the 21st, Park Ji-young said with a bright smile, "Honestly, before the season started, I had a good feeling and thought my results would be decent, but I didn’t expect to do this well. I think it’s the result of thorough preparation last winter."

Park Ji-young started playing golf at the age of 12. She did not stand out much during her amateur days, only reaching the national team reserve squad. Park Gyeol and Ji Han-sol are her peers born in 1996. However, after turning professional, she fully demonstrated her skills. She won the Rookie of the Year award on the regular tour in 2014 and tasted her first victory at the S-OIL Champions Invitational the following year. Since then, she has steadily improved her performance, accumulating a total of six wins. Park Ji-young explained, "My shots have become more stable, and my short game and putting have improved, so I think I can continue to achieve good results."

Park Ji-young is having her best season this year, ranking first in wins, prize money, Player of the Year, and scoring average in the first half of the year.

Park Ji-young has been a sports enthusiast since childhood. She enjoyed Taekwondo, Hapkido, Kendo, soccer, and baseball. In elementary school, she even stood up to boys who bullied her friends. Thanks to her exposure to various sports, she has gained great benefits in golf as well. Her skills with the driver, irons, and putting are all above average. Her strongest weapons are her irons and putting. She ranks 11th in greens in regulation (74.87%) and 6th in average putts (29.36). She said, "Irons are my strength, and I’m confident at distances around 120 meters. I actively use this when attacking the course."

Park Ji-young’s average driving distance is 244.91 yards (33rd). She has excellent ability to plant her feet firmly and strike. Her large follow-through after impact is also noticeable. Park Ji-young advised, "Consistent physical training helps increase driving distance. Weekend golfers can increase their distance by doing squats?sitting down and standing up?while swinging."

Park Ji-young’s role model is the "living golf legend" Annika S?renstam from Sweden. S?renstam won an incredible 11 tournaments on the U.S. Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour in 2002 alone, accumulating a total of 72 wins. She was the original "Golf Queen," holding the world No. 1 ranking for 60 consecutive weeks. Since 2020, she has also served as the president of the International Golf Federation (IGF). Park Ji-young said, "S?renstam maintained consistent performance until her retirement. I want to be a player respected by many colleagues and juniors like her."

Park Ji-young is a warm-hearted player. She started donating to charity since elementary school. Born in Wonju, Gangwon Province, she also contributes modestly to local organizations for the disabled. She said, "My parents always told me to live by giving to others. Although I may not bring about huge changes, I hope even a little help can make a difference. I will continue to donate in the future." Park Ji-young also plans to establish a donation foundation if given the opportunity.

Park Ji-young is a player whose strength lies in precise iron shots.

Park Ji-young’s motto is "Life is an amusement park." She always tries to live joyfully. She enjoys listening to music regularly. She said, "I listen to music whenever I have free time." Her chemistry with caddie Song Young-cheol is also excellent. Park Ji-young said, "Since we know each other so well, he can immediately catch what I need just by hearing my breathing. He always helps me keep my composure," expressing her gratitude.

Park Ji-young’s goal this year is to lead in average score. "It’s an award that requires consistent performance throughout the year, so it’s the one I want the most," she emphasized. Park Ji-young dreams of becoming a "Major Queen." Her challenge is to win the Hanwha Classic, a major tournament held on the 24th of next month. She said, "Personally, I have never won a major tournament, so I really want to achieve that. I will take on the challenge at the Hanwha Classic, which is known for its difficult course," showing her determination.

After achieving double-digit wins domestically, Park Ji-young plans to try her hand on the U.S. stage. She said, "I’m already 28 years old, and I still have four wins left to reach my goal. I will work as hard as possible to advance to the U.S. tour as soon as I can." Currently taking a short break before the second half of the season, Park Ji-young concluded the interview by saying, "I want to be a player who consistently wins and maintains good results for a long time, and I want to be remembered as a player with good character."

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