No Seunghee: "Experience at the US Women's Open Was a Great Help"

Strength in silence. This was the advertising slogan for Daewoo Motors' mid-size sedan "Leganza" in 1997.

There is also a silent powerhouse on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour. That is sixth-year pro No Seunghee.

Last week, she defeated Lee Dayeon in a playoff at "The Heaven Masters" to claim victory, marking her third win in the past 13 months. She captured her first title at the national championship, the Korea Women's Open, in June last year, and followed it up with her second win of the season at the OK Savings Bank Eutman Open in September.

In an interview with Asia Economy on the 26th, she said, "I'm so happy to have won again this year," and added, "In the second half of the season, I want to add two more wins, including a major."

No Seunghee did not have a glamorous amateur career. She never made the national team or the reserve squad as a junior. In 2019, she ranked third on the KLPGA Dream (second division) Tour money list, earning her debut on the regular tour the following year. However, from 2020 to 2023, she was an ordinary player who barely managed to keep her tour card without a win.

She recalled, "When I made it to the regular tour, it was amazing to compete alongside the senior players I admired," and added, "Although my early results weren't good, I learned a lot."

Her victory at the Korea Women's Open turned her into a national star. She led the tournament from start to finish, becoming the first player in 18 years to win wire-to-wire since Shin Ji-ae in 2006. She also became the first player in nine years to claim her maiden victory at this event since Park Sung-hyun in 2015.

She said, "It was the most memorable tournament," and recalled, "I don't think I'll ever forget it."

No Seunghee is not a long hitter. This year, her average driving distance is 226.53 yards, ranking 98th overall. This is 33.5 yards shorter than leader Lee Dong-eun (260.03 yards). As a result, she often uses two clubs longer. On the other hand, her fairway accuracy rate is 79.56%, ranking third overall. With precise tee shots and accurate iron play, she consistently creates birdie opportunities. "Because I can't hit it far, I focus more on landing the ball on the fairway. As my fairway accuracy has improved, attacking the pin has become easier than before."

Before The Heaven Masters, she also took customized lessons. After the 2022 season, she began working with coach Kim Gukhwan, who visited The Heaven Country Club, the tournament venue, to check her shots. "During the official practice round, my coach came to check my shots. Bad weather was forecast during the tournament, so I thought it would be difficult to hit greens in regulation. I practiced a lot around the greens. I focused on training for spots where I could easily approach, even if I missed the green."

No Seunghee's nickname is "Noutiliti," a play on her surname and her fondness for utility clubs. Since she is not a long hitter, her club setup is also unique. She uses irons from pitching wedge to 6-iron, and mainly carries two utility clubs and one wood.

However, ahead of this tournament, she slightly changed her club setup to five irons, one utility club, and two woods. She explained, "It's hard to get good trajectory with long irons, so it's difficult to stop the ball on the green. The 5-wood gives me better trajectory and stops the ball well, so it was more advantageous."

On the 1st, she took another step forward by competing in the US Women's Open held at Erin Hills Golf Course in Wisconsin, United States. She qualified for her first overseas major as the Korea Women's Open champion. She said, "It was my first international tournament and my first time in the United States. The course setup was completely different from Korea. It was a new experience." She continued, "The grass was denser, and the fairways felt firmer. You had to strike the ball precisely at impact to get the right trajectory and distance. After playing in the US, my iron contact improved. I think that helped me win The Heaven Masters."

No Seunghee's greatest weapon is consistency. When asked what kind of player she wants to be, she emphasized, "I want to be a player who grows steadily." As for her future goals, she named joining the KLPGA "K10 Club." "Maintaining my tour card and playing on tour for 10 years would be very meaningful. This year marks my sixth straight year on the regular tour. I'll work hard for four more years."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.