[Newsmaker] Park In-bee to reclaim No. 1 ranking in women's golf

´South Korean LPGA star Park In-bee will reclaim the No. 1 ranking in women's golf following a runner-up finish at her latest event, the LPGA Tour said.Park finished tied for second at the Hugel-JTBC LA Open at Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles on Sunday (local time), but it will be good enough to lift the world No. 3 past current Nos. 1 and 2, Feng Shanshan and Lexi Thompson, to the top of the new rankings when they're announced Monday.Park In-bee of South Korea watches her tee shot on the f

April 23, 2018

Korean Park In-bee inches closer to No. 1 in women's golf rankings

South Korean LPGA star Park In-bee has inched closer to the No. 1 ranking in women's golf.Park remained in third place in the latest women's world rankings announced Tuesday, trailing Feng Shanshan and Lexi Thompson.But Park now sits just 0.38 point behind Feng. The South Korean improved from 6.33 points to 6.67 points, while Feng went up from 6.89 points to 7.05 points. Park In-bee of South Korea reacts to her birdie at the fourth hole during the final round of the Lotte Championship on the LPG

April 17, 2018

S. Korean Kim Si-woo loses PGA tournament in playoff

South Korean Kim Si-woo has let a PGA Tour win slip through his grasp in South Carolina, blowing a lead late before losing in a playoff.Kim lost to Satoshi Kodaira of Japan on the third playoff hole at the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina, on Sunday (local time). After squandering a two-stroke lead late in the final round, Kim missed his birdie attempt at the third playoff hole, where Kodaira made a birdie.The two players were tied at 12-under 272 after regu

April 16, 2018

Korean Park In-bee loses LPGA major in playoff

South Korean golfer Park In-bee has lost an LPGA major in a sudden-death playoff.Park fell to Pernilla Lindberg of Sweden on the eighth playoff hole at Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, on Monday (local time). The sudden-death showdown was contested over two days because Park and Lindberg remained deadlocked after four playoff holes on Sunday and play was suspended due to darkness.Lindberg clinched her first professional victory by draining

April 3, 2018

Park In-bee deadlocked in suspended playoff at LPGA major

South Korean golfer Park In-bee will have to play an extra day of playoff for a chance to win the first LPGA major of the season.Park and Pernilla Lindberg remained tied after four playoff holes at the ANA Inspiration at Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, on Sunday (local time), before play was suspended due to darkness.The sudden-death competition will resume at 8 a.m. Monday local time, or midnight Monday in South Korea.Park is in pursuit

April 2, 2018

With so much accomplished, LPGA star focuses on 'enjoying' golf

South Korean LPGA golfer Park In-bee has accomplished virtually everything a golfer can in a career: seven majors among her 19 LPGA wins, an Olympic gold medal and a place in the LPGA Hall of Fame.And what's left for the 29-year-old? Just to enjoy the game of golf."I should be really ready to enjoy tournament golf. But that's something that I haven't been able to do, and that's what I'm trying to do," Park told a press conference before the start of the ANA Inspiration, the season's first major,

March 29, 2018

Korean Ji Eun-hee earns 4th career LPGA win

South Korean golfer Ji Eun-hee has picked up her fourth career LPGA victory in California, powered by an ace on the back nine.Ji won the Kia Classic at Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad, California, with a four-round total of 16-under 272 on Sunday (local time). Her final round of five-under 67 included a hole-in-one on the 14th hole, as Ji beat two Americans, Cristie Kerr and Lizette Salas, by two strokes.This was Ji's first win since October last year. The world No. 38 had gone more than eight year

March 26, 2018

Park In-bee cracks top 10 in women's golf rankings after LPGA win

South Korean LPGA star Park In-bee has cracked the top 10 in the women's world rankings following her latest victory.Park jumped 10 spots to reach No. 9 in the rankings released Tuesday. She won the Bank of Hope Founders Cup in Phoenix over the weekend, for her first LPGA win in 12 months.Park, former world No. 1, cut her 2017 season short in September with a back injury while she was No. 10 in the world, and dropped out of the top 10 by the end of October. In this Associated Press photo, Park I

March 20, 2018

Korean Park In-bee captures 19th career LPGA title in Phoenix

South Korean golfer Park In-bee has captured her 19th career LPGA title in Phoenix.The LPGA Hall of Famer won the Bank of Hope Founders Cup at Wildfire Golf Club at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday (local time). Park shot a five-under 67 in the final round for a four-day total of 19-under 269, beating three players by five strokes for her first victory since last March.Park also won in just her second start of the season. She skipped the first three to

March 19, 2018

Korean Kim Si-woo hoping to make PGA Tour history at flagship event

South Korean youngster Kim Si-woo is hoping to make history at the PGA Tour's flagship tournament this spring.The 22-year-old is the reigning champion of The Players Championship. No player has successfully defended the prestigious title since the tournament began in 1974, and during a media event at the tournament's venue, TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Kim said he will look to change that."Someone told me there hasn't been any back-to-back champion, and I've noticed a lot of champ

March 13, 2018

Korean LPGA rookie surprised with own quick start

South Korean LPGA rookie Ko Jin-young would be the first to tell you she herself is quite surprised by her own quick start to her debut season.The 2016 Korea LPGA Player of the Year may just win the same award on the US tour this year, after picking up a victory and two other top-10 finishes in her first three tournaments as an official LPGA member.Ko earned her LPGA eligibility by winning the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship on home soil last October as a nonmember. And the 22-year-old has prove

March 8, 2018

LPGA rookie Ko Jin-young leading major categories in early going

The sample size may be small, but four tournaments into the 2018 LPGA Tour season, South Korean rookie Ko Jin-young finds herself as the leader in major statistical categories.Ko took her talent to the biggest women's golf tour in the world this year, after winning the LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship on home soil last October as a nonmember.Then in February, Ko won the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open, her first event as an official LPGA member, and became the first LPGA player in 67 years to w

March 5, 2018

S. Korean Ko Jin-young wins in official LPGA debut

South Korean LPGA player Ko Jin-young made history in Australia on Sunday, becoming the first player in nearly seven decades to win in her inaugural start as a rookie.Ko fired a 14-under 274 to take the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open by three strokes over fellow South Korean Choi Hye-jin. Ko shot a three-under 69 in the final round at Kooyonga Golf Club in Adelaide.Ko earned her LPGA privileges by winning the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship on home soil last October. This was Ko's first even

Feb. 18, 2018

Korean men's golf tour to offer record purse in 2018 season

South Korea's top men's golf tour will offer the highest purse yet next year.The Korea Professional Golfers' Association announced Wednesday that its top-tier Korean Tour will have a record total prize money of 14.1 billion won ($13.1 million), with 17 tournaments lined up for next season."The number of tournaments in 2018 is down from this year's 19, but the total purse has increased 150 million won from this year,"said Yang Hwee-boo, who heads the KPGA. "Many sponsors have helped us to develop

Dec. 27, 2017

Korean youngster on PGA Tour high on confidence heading into '18

SEONGNAM, South Korea -- South Korean PGA Tour star Kim Si-woo said Thursday he has high confidence heading into the new year, thanks to improved fitness and added distance off the tee.The winner of the 2017 Players Championship, Kim said he's spent much of the winter working on his conditioning so he could better survive the grind that is the PGA Tour."Last winter, I didn't prepare as much as I should have, and it led to some injuries early in the year," Kim said at Namseul Country Club here in

Dec. 21, 2017

LPGA phenomenon Park Sung-hyun looking to outdo self in sophomore season

INCHEON -- Any way you cut it, South Korean phenomenon Park Sung-hyun enjoyed a monumental rookie season on the LPGA Tour in 2017.On the strength of two wins, Park was the runaway winner of the Rookie of the Year honors, and added the Player of the Year and the tour's money title, too. She was the only LPGA player to earn more than US$2 million this year, and she became the first rookie to reach No. 1 in the world rankings in November.What does she have for an encore in her sophomore campaign? F

Dec. 5, 2017

Co-LPGA Player of the Year Ryu So-yeon makes triumphant return home

INCHEON -- Co-LPGA Player of the Year Ryu So-yeon got a hero's welcome Tuesday after a strong season in which she reached No. 1 in the world rankings for the first time.Ryu won two LPGA tournaments, including her second career major at the ANA Inspiration in April and reached No. 1 in late June. She stayed there until early November, when fellow South Korean Park Sung-hyun replaced her at the top.Ryu and Park shared the LPGA's Player of the Year award after they finished tied atop the standings

Nov. 21, 2017

Korean tour star announces move to LPGA for 2018

South Korean golfer Ko Ji-young, the 2016 Korea LPGA Player of the Year, will take her talent to the LPGA Tour next year, her agency, Galaxia SM, said Monday.The 22-year-old earned her eligibility by winning the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship on home soil last month."I've been dreaming of reaching the LPGA Tour ever since I started playing golf," Ko said in a statement. "I've decided to take on this challenge to realize an even bigger dream. I'll try my best to win a tournament and earn the Roo

Nov. 20, 2017

Koreans combine for record-tying 15 LPGA wins in 2017

South Korean golfers combined for a record-tying 15 wins in the 2017 LPGA Tour season, sweeping up nearly half of the tournaments to reaffirm their dominance in women's golf.In all, 11 South Koreans won 15 out of 33 tournaments this year, including three of the five majors. It ties the record for most LPGA wins by the South Korean contingent in one season, matching the mark set in 2015, when there were 31 tournaments.Kim In-kyung led the way with three tour wins, including her first major title

Nov. 20, 2017

Koreans share LPGA's top player award

They've been neck and neck during the 2017 LPGA Tour season. And perhaps it's only fitting that Ryu So-yeon and Park Sung-hyun are the co-winners of the tour's Player of the Year honors.The two South Korean stars finished tied atop the Player of the Year points race at 162 apiece, following the conclusion of the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida, on Sunday (local time).This marks the first time that the award has been shared by two players since its inception in 1966.

Nov. 20, 2017