Lee Yewon Claims 10th Career Victory... "I Am the Queen of Spring"

Victory by Three Strokes at the Deokshin EPC Championship
Becomes the 16th Golfer in History to Achieve 10 Career Wins
Nine Wins Before June, Solidifying Status as 'First-half Powerhouse'

'First-half Powerhouse' Lee Yewon has reached her 10th career victory.

On April 26, at Kingsdale Golf Club in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province (par 72, 6,700 yards), Lee Yewon recorded six birdies and two bogeys for a 4-under-par 68 in the final third round of the KLPGA Tour Deokshin EPC Championship (total prize money of 1 billion won). With a final total of 12-under-par 204, Lee outperformed Park Hyunkyung (9-under-par 207) by three strokes to claim the title. The winner's prize is 180 million won.

This was Lee Yewon's first win of the season at her fifth tournament of the year, marking her 10th career title on the KLPGA Tour. Lee became the 16th golfer in KLPGA Tour history to reach 10 career wins. Since her first regular tour victory at the Lotte Rent-a-Car Women's Open in April 2023, she has shown particular strength in the first half of the year. Including this year’s win, nine out of her ten career victories came before June. With this latest victory, she now leads both the money list (353.07 million won) and the Player of the Year points (137 points).

Ye-won Lee is posing with the trophy after achieving her 10th career win at the Deokshin EPC Championship. Photo by KLPGA

Starting the third round tied for the lead, Lee Yewon made a bogey on the third hole (par 3) but got her momentum going with her first birdie on the fifth hole (par 4). From the ninth hole (par 5), she made three consecutive birdies, pulling away from the field. After a bogey on the 13th hole (par 3) allowed Park Hyunkyung to close the gap to one stroke, Lee sank a 6-meter birdie putt on the 15th hole (par 3) to restore her two-stroke lead, and then sealed the win with another birdie putt of over 9 meters on the 17th (par 4).

Lee Yewon said, "I'm happy to have reached my 10th career win so quickly," adding, "The course was tough, so I tried to play conservatively at first, but after making a birdie, my confidence grew and I played more aggressively from then on." She continued, "During an interview last spring, I promised that I would not lose energy until the end, but I was disappointed that I couldn't keep that promise as the season ended. Since I’ve prepared a lot to overcome my physical challenges, I’ll trust myself for the second half of the year."

Park Hyunkyung surged up 18 spots from the previous day with a 6-under 66 to finish second, marking her first top-10 finish of the season. Yoo Hyunjoo, Kim Si-hyun, Han Jin-sun, and Yoo Seoyeon tied for third place at 8-under-par 208. Kim Jaehee, who had been co-leader through the second round, lost a stroke and finished tied for seventh at 7-under-par 209 with Bang Shinsil, Park Minji, Kim Minju, and Kim Jiyoon. Kim Minseon, Kim Minsol, and Sung Yujin shared 17th place at 5-under-par 211.

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