Rookie sensation Park Sung-hyun wins LPGA money title, shares top player honors

LPGA rookie sensation Park Sung-hyun has clinched the tour's money title to cap off a splendid season, while also sharing the top player honors with fellow South Korean star Ryu So-yeon.Park finished tied for sixth at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida, on Sunday (local time), at 12-under 276, three back of the champion, Ariya Jutanugarn. But that was more than enough to make Park just the third rookie to lead the tour in money.Park, who'd alrea

Nov. 20, 2017

Korean Park Sung-hyun receives trophy as top LPGA rookie

South Korean star Park Sung-hyun received her trophy as the LPGA Tour's top rookie of 2017 at a ceremony in the United Stated on Thursday (local time).Park was presented with the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year trophy during the LPGA ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Florida. It was held after the first round of the LPGA's season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. In this photo provided by the LPGA Tour, Park Sung-hyun of South Korea holds the trophy for the Louise Suggs

Nov. 17, 2017

Korean's reign at top of women's golf rankings ends after 1 week

Park Sung-hyun's reign at the top of women's golf has ended after just one week.Park fell a spot to No. 2 in the latest women's world rankings announced Monday, as Feng Shanshan of China jumped from third to first on the strength of back-to-back LPGA victories.Last week, Park became the first LPGA rookie ever to reach No. 1 in the world, when she dethroned fellow South Korean Ryu So-yeon. In this file photo taken Oct. 15, 2017, Park Sung-hyun of South Korea hits her second shot at the ninth hole

Nov. 13, 2017

New No. 1 in women's golf says top spot 'honor for family'

South Korean LPGA star Park Sung-hyun, newly crowned world No. 1, said Tuesday her new ranking position is "an honor for my whole family."Park climbed a spot to No. 1 in the latest women's golf rankings announced Monday (Eastern Standard Time), dethroning fellow South Korean Ryu So-yeon. Park became the first LPGA rookie to reach No. 1."This is all too sudden for me, and it hasn't hit me yet," Park said in a statement released by her Seoul-based agency, SEMA Sports Marketing. "I think this is an

Nov. 7, 2017

LPGA legend Sorenstam hails 'amazing work ethic' of Korean players

Women's golf legend Annika Sorenstam on Monday hailed the "amazing work ethic" of South Korean players, who've dominated the LPGA Tour in 2017.Sorenstam is visiting Seoul in promotion of Pacific Links International, an international golf membership company that announced the launching of its Korean service Monday.Sorenstam, a World Golf Hall of Famer with 72 LPGA wins and 10 majors to her credit, is uniquely positioned to comment on the excellence of South Korean players. In the late 1990s, she

Oct. 23, 2017

Latest LPGA champion soars in world rankings

South Korean golfer Ji Eun-hee, the latest LPGA champion, made a huge jump in the latest world rankings Monday.Ji soared 30 spots to reach No. 42 in the rankings on the strength of her victory at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship in Taipei on Sunday. It was her first LPGA win in eight years.There were no changes at the top, with South Koreans Ryu So-yeon and Park Sung-hyun staying at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. In this EPA photo taken Oct. 22, 2017, Ji Eun-hee of South Korea holds

Oct. 23, 2017

Korean Ji Eun-hee captures 1st LPGA win in 8 years

South Korean Ji Eun-hee won the LPGA championship in Taiwan on Sunday -- her first LPGA victory in eight years.Ji cruised to take the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship in Taipei by six strokes over Lydia Ko. After shooting a bogey-free seven-under 65 in the final round at par-72 Miramar Resort and Country Club, Ji finished at 17-under 271.This was Ji's third career LPGA win and her first since her US Women's Open victory in July 2009. In this EPA photo, Ji Eun-hee of South Korea tees off

Oct. 22, 2017

Justin Thomas wins first PGA Tour event in Korea in playoff

SEOGWIPO, South Korea -- American star Justin Thomas won the first PGA Tour event held in South Korea in a playoff Sunday.Thomas won the inaugural CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges at the Club at Nine Bridges on the southern resort island of Jeju thanks to a birdie on the second playoff hole against Marc Leishman.This was the seventh career PGA victory for Thomas, the reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year and money winner, and his first win in a playoff. Justin Thomas of the United States hoists the champion

Oct. 22, 2017

LPGA stars extol virtues of intl. team event

INCHEON -- International stars of women’s golf extolled the virtues Monday of an up-and-coming international competition that has given them a rare opportunity to play for their nation.　The UL International Crown, inaugurated by the LPGA Tour in 2014, will come to South Korea for its third edition in 2018. It’s a new international team event in women’s golf alongside the Solheim Cup, the match play contest between the United States and Europe.　The International Crown is more inclusive. It invite

Oct. 16, 2017

Korean golf legend Pak Se-ri named honorary director of women's intl. team competition

INCHEON -- South Korean golf legend Pak Se-ri was named an honorary executive director Monday for an LPGA international match play competition to be held in South Korea next year.Pak, a World Golf Hall of Famer, will serve in that role for the UL International Crown from Oct. 4 to 7 at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon, just west of Seoul.This will be the third edition of the biennial competition and the first to be held outside the United States. In this file photo provided by the Korea

Oct. 16, 2017

S. Korean tour star captures 1st LPGA victory at home

South Korean tour star Ko Jin-young captured her first LPGA title at home on Sunday, overcoming a gaffe on the green to edge out two fellow South Koreans in a nail-biting finish.Ko carded a four-under 68 in the final round to take the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship on the Ocean Course at Sky 72 Golf & Resort near Incheon International Airport.At a tournament-record score of 19-under 269, Ko defeated LPGA rookie sensation Park Sung-hyun by two. Chun In-gee, the 2016 LPGA Rookie of the Year, was

Oct. 15, 2017

Iceland's 1st LPGA player comes long way to Korea -- literally

INCHEON -- To play in South Korea for the first time in her young career this week, Olafia Kristinsdottir, the first LPGA Tour player from Iceland, had to come a long way.The rookie was a last-minute addition to the field of 78 at the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship, which began at Sky 72 Golf & Resort's Ocean Course, near Incheon International Airport, on Thursday. An extra spot opened up for her when Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand pulled out, and Kristinsdottir only found out over the weekend -

Oct. 13, 2017

Former champion regaining confidence after solid 1st round at Korean LPGA stop

South Korean golfer Amy Yang said Thursday she feels her confidence is coming back after a solid start to the LPGA stop in her native country.Yang carded a two-under 70 to position herself among the top 15 in the early part of the opening round of the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship. Held on Ocean Course at SKy 72 Golf & Resort, this is the lone LPGA held in South Korea each year.Yang is the 2013 champion of this event, and at the 2015 tournament, she tied the LPGA record for consecutive birdies

Oct. 12, 2017

Top three LPGA players take battle to Korea

INCHEON -- Three of the brightest stars in women's golf today will take their battle to South Korea this week, as the LPGA Tour makes its lone annual stop in the country.The LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship will begin Thursday at the Ocean Course at Sky72 Golf & Resort, situated next to Incheon International Airport. The Ocean Course is hosting the tournament for the 10th consecutive year.The strong field of 78 players features nine of the top-10 players on the women's golf rankings. And the top

Oct. 10, 2017

Local stars to headline strong field at LPGA tourney in Korea

A pair of homegrown stars will headline a strong field at the upcoming LPGA tournament in South Korea.Ryu So-yeon and Park Sung-hyun, Nos. 1 and 2 in the women's world rankings, will showcase their talent before home fans at the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship starting Oct. 12 at Sky 72 Golf & Resort's Ocean Course in Incheon, west of Seoul.In all, nine out of the top-10 players will compete at the tournament, the only LPGA event in South Korea each year.Only the No. 10-ranked Park In-bee will b

Sept. 28, 2017

FedEx Cup champion Justin Thomas to play at S. Korea's 1st PGA tourney

Reigning FedEx Cup champion Justin Thomas has committed to South Korea's first PGA Tour event next month, the organizers said Wednesday.Thomas, who won the Dell Technologies Championship en route to capturing the overall FedEx Cup title, will compete in the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges, which will be played from Oct. 19-22 at the Club at Nine Bridges on Jeju Island.Thomas, 24, had four victories during the 2016-2017 season, including his first major at the PGA Championship in August. Justin Thomas of t

Sept. 27, 2017

Park In-bee to sit out rest of LPGA season with back injury

World No. 10 Park In-bee will bow out of the rest of the 2017 LPGA season in order to rest her ailing back, a source close to the player said Thursday.Park had been scheduled to wrap up her season at the Alisports LPGA in Beijing starting Oct. 5, but the tournament was abruptly canceled earlier this month. Park will sit out the rest of the LPGA's annual Asian tour, which includes a stop in South Korea in mid October, and will also skip the season finale, the CME Group Tour Championship, in Novem

Sept. 21, 2017

Latest PGA playoff winner to compete in Korea next month

The latest FedEx Cup playoff winner will compete in the first PGA Tour event in South Korea next month, the organizers said Wednesday.Marc Leishman, who captured last week's BMW Championship, has committed to the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges, which will be played from Oct. 19-22 at the Club at Nine Bridges on Jeju Island.CJ Group said it will be Leishman's first appearance in South Korea since competing for the International Team at the 2015 Presidents Cup in Incheon. This promotional poster of the CJ

Sept. 20, 2017

Koreans' charge falls short at LPGA season's final major

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France -- South Korean contenders' charge fell short at the LPGA Tour's final major championship of the season here on Sunday.Kim Sei-young was the top finisher from the South Korean contingent at the weather-shortened Evian Championship at par-71 Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France, where she tied for sixth at seven-under 206. Kim ended two strokes out of the playoff between Brittany Altomare and Anna Nordqvist.Nordqvist beat Altomare with a bogey on the first pla

Sept. 18, 2017

Indian golfer disqualified from Korean event after oversleeping

INCHEON -- Four-time European Tour winner Shiv Shankar Prasad Chawrasia of India was disqualified from a golf tournament in South Korea Thursday after he overslept and missed his tee time. The organizers of the Shinhan Donghae Open said Chawrasia failed to show up for his first round tee time at Cheongna Bear's Best Golf Club in Incheon. Under the tournament rules, if a player shows up at his starting point up to five minutes after his tee time, he or she will be given a two-stroke penalty, but

Sept. 14, 2017