Nine times runner-up. Park Hyun-kyung “Cutie Pool” (23, Korea Land Trust), who said, “There is no tree I can’t shoot ten times,” held the trophy in her arms after 910 days of waiting. Tears streamed down his face as he won for the first time in front of his adoring fans.
Park won the SK networks-Seoul Economy Ladies Classic ($800,000 prize fund) on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour on Monday after holding on to par in a second overtime playoff at Finks Golf Club (Par 72-6748 yards) in Seogwipo, Jeju. The win came 910 days after her third career victory at the Chris F&C 43rd KLPGA Championship on May 2, 2021.
After starting the day in a tie for fourth place, she dropped four strokes in the second round, played in high winds, to tie for 10th, but rebounded with five strokes in the third round to take the lead. In the final round, she traded four birdies for one bogey to finish tied for first with So Young Lee (26-Lotte) at 8-under 280.
Park, who made par on the first extension, hit her second shot of the second extension onto the green, while Lee’s second shot from the bunker ended up in the penalty area in front of the green, effectively giving her the win. Park putted with a calm expression, but tears streamed down her face as she remembered her struggles.
The victory broke her nine-time runner-up jinx. Park, who was runner-up four times in 2021 before becoming the KLPGA champion, was also runner-up twice last year. “If I keep challenging myself, I think I’ll get a chance,” she said, “and I’ll take the proverb that there’s no tree that won’t fall after ten shots, and I’ll keep shooting until it does.
Park, who has won three times during the COVID-19 pandemic, realized his dream of winning in front of his fans with this win. “All three of my previous wins were in front of no one,” he said. I imagined winning in front of my fans hundreds and thousands of times. It’s a dream come true and a meaningful win.”
This year’s tournament was notable for having players with the ‘runner-up’ and ‘odd year’ jinxes competing for the title. Lee So-young, who went to overtime with Park Hyun-kyung, has six career wins, but has the unique jinx of only winning in even-numbered years. His last title, last year’s Daewoo Women’s MBN Women’s Open, came in a second overtime, and it was Park who lifted the trophy.
“I’ve been feeling really good lately,” Park said. I thought it would be more important to control my mind than my technique,” Park said, adding, “I would like to thank my dad (pro Park Se-soo), who acted as a reliable helper so that I could rely on him psychologically whenever I was shaken.”카지노사이트
He was always cheerful, but he was in a lot of pain. As the era of spectatorship ended and the time without a win in front of the gallery grew longer, he thought a lot about, “Am I this good?” “Nine times I was runner-up and I doubted (myself) as a player who doesn’t take chances,” he said. That’s why he believes psychological toughness is more important than technique.
“There wasn’t a single easy moment, but I won because there were many people who believed in me and supported me,” he smiled.
Park added $144,000 to her bankroll with the win and moved up to fifth on the season’s money list ($838,667,2326).
Hwang Jung-mi finished in a tie for third place with a 5-under-par 283, while “Donation Angel” Sung Yoo-jin (23-Hanwha Q CELLS) and “Long-hitting Queen” Bang Shin-sil (19-KB Financial Group) tied for fourth (4-under 284).
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