'Korea's No. 1' Park Minji "I Overcame COVID-19 Well"

by Roh Woolae

Published 13 Apr.2022 10:12(KST)

Last Year's Winner Sweeping Wins, Prize Money, and Grand Prize, Opening Match a COVID-19 Breather "I Will Make the Best Season"

'Korea's No. 1' Park Min-ji announces the first start of the season at the Mediheal·Hankook Ilbo Championship.

[Asia Economy Reporter Noo Rae] "I am very excited."

‘Domestic No. 1’ Park Min-ji (24, NH Investment & Securities) is back. She had registered to participate in the opening event of the 2022 KLPGA Tour, the Lotte Rent-a-Car Women's Open (total prize money 700 million KRW), held at Lotte Skyhill Golf Club in Seogwipo, Jeju Island (par 72, 6,395 yards) on the 10th, but was sidelined due to a COVID-19 positive diagnosis. Now, after completing self-quarantine, she is ready to launch into the new season. Park said, "Watching the tournament last week made me want to get to the golf course quickly."

Park Min-ji was the dominant figure in last year's KLPGA Tour. She debuted on the regular tour in 2017 and has accumulated 10 wins in total. Last season, she won 6 times including one major, sweeping the most wins, the money title (1.52137 billion KRW), and the Player of the Year award (680 points). She also set a historic record as the first player to surpass 1.5 billion KRW in season earnings. Her stats include 23rd in average driving distance (242.90 yards), 22nd in fairway hit rate (78.17%), 3rd in greens in regulation (78.89%), and 24th in average putts (30.29).

Her crisis management skills in maintaining scores under difficult conditions have improved. Her clutch putting was outstanding. After August, her pace relatively dropped, which was a bit disappointing as she could not reach Shin Ji-ae’s (34) season record of 9 wins. At the year-end awards ceremony, she received a special award, and last month she was selected again as the KLPGA promotional model for the first time in two years since 2020. She said, "My first thought is to deliver good play."

Now, she is in a position to defend her title rather than challenge for it. She worked hard last winter in California, USA, focusing on improving her short game, which had been lacking. The Mediheal-Korea Daily Championship (total prize money 1 billion KRW), a newly established KLPGA Tour event held at Ferrum Golf Club in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province (par 72, 6,628 yards) on the 14th, will be her first tournament this year. She added, "I am very excited to think about playing a tournament after a long time."

"First of all, I want to win quickly," she said, "I have prepared thoroughly and will make another best season." She has experience winning at this course, having taken the top spot at the final ADT Caps Championship held here in 2018. Park, who said, "It is a golf course with good memories of winning," emphasized, "I think I can start the tournament with a joyful heart, and I will do my best without losing focus until the end."