Hot-shot amateur achieves new career high in women's golf rankings

Hot-shot amateur Choi Hye-jin has achieved a new career high in the women's world golf rankings, just days before turning professional.Choi moved up three spots to No. 22 in the latest rankings released Tuesday. Choi, who turns 18 on Wednesday, won the Bogner MBN Ladies Open on the Korea LPGA Tour on Sunday, becoming the first amateur in 18 years to win twice in South Korea in one season. In this photo provided by the Korea LPGA Tour, Choi Hye-jin celebrates her victory at the Bogner MBN Ladies

Aug. 22, 2017

K.J. Choi to retain PGA Tour status on special exemption

South Korean veteran Choi Kyoung-ju will retain his PGA Tour status for next season thanks to a special exemption category, his agency said Monday.Choi, better known on the tour as K.J. Choi, ranked 177th on the 2016-2017 season FedEx Cup points standings after last weekend's Wyndham Championship and failed to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs open to the top 125.Those ranked inside the top 125 earn full-time status for the following season, while those ranked from 126th to 150th have condition

Aug. 21, 2017

Top-ranked LPGA golfer shortlisted for year's best female athlete

Ryu So-yeon, world No. 1 in women's golf, has been shortlisted for an international award honoring the year's top female athlete.The South Korean golfer is among 10 finalists in individual sports for the Sportswoman of the Year, announced by the U.S.-based Women's Sports Foundation on Thursday.Ryu, a five-time LPGA Tour winner, has been the top-ranked female golfer since June 26. In April, she won the ANA Inspiration for her second career major championship.Ryu will be up against the following a

Aug. 17, 2017

Discharged from Army, PGA golfer Bae Sang-moon gets to work immediately

WONJU -- There is no rest for the weary, as PGA Tour golfer Bae Sang-moon vowed on Wednesday to get to work right away after his discharge from the South Korean Army.Bae completed his 21-month, mandatory military service here in Wonju, some 130 kilometers east of Seoul, and said he'll hit the range later in the day.Bae, 31, is scheduled to make his return to competitive golf at Shinhan Donghae Open on the Korean Tour on Sept. 14.Prior to his discharge, Bae had said earlier this month he'd done p

Aug. 16, 2017

LPGA star Park In-bee seeking to push herself for 1st win at home

JEJU -- In search of her first victory on home soil, LPGA Hall of Famer Park In-bee said Thursday she'll actually start putting some pressure on herself.Park will compete at Jeju Samdasoo Masters on the Korea LPGA Tour beginning Friday at Ora Country Club on the southern resort island of Jeju. This is Park's fourth consecutive appearance at the event, and she's still looking for her first win here.In fact, the 18-time LPGA Tour winner, who has seven major titles and an Olympic gold medal to her

Aug. 10, 2017

Returning PGA golfer says military has made him stronger

Ahead of his discharge from the South Korean military, PGA Tour golfer Bae Sang-moon said Tuesday his time in the armed forces has made him stronger physically and mentally.The two-time PGA Tour winner will complete his mandatory service on Aug. 16. His agency, All That Sports, announced last week that Bae's first event will be the Shinhan Donghae Open on the Korean Tour starting on Sept. 14.In a statement released Tuesday by All That Sports, Bae said he is coming back to competitive golf a toug

Aug. 9, 2017

Taste of LPGA major victory has Park Sung-hyun hungry for more

INCHEON -- Now that she has enjoyed the sweet taste of an LPGA major victory, South Korean rookie sensation Park Sung-hyun wants more of the same.Park returned home for the first time on Tuesday since winning the U.S. Women's Open on July 16 at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. At 11-under 277, Park edged out South Korean amateur Choi Hye-jin by two strokes for her first LPGA title and also her first major championship.Park, who'd starred on the Korea LPGA Tour before moving to

Aug. 8, 2017

Korean golfer exorcises demons to win 1st LPGA major

With her first LPGA major title at the Ricoh Women's British Open, South Korean golfer Kim In-kyung successfully exorcised the demons that had nagged at her for years.Until her two-shot victory at Kingsbarns Golf Links in Fife, Scotland, on Sunday (local time), Kim's career had largely been defined by the one stunning moment of failure, rather than her six LPGA victories. In this Associated Press photo, Kim In-kyung of South Korea celebrates with the champion's trophy after winning the Ricoh Wom

Aug. 7, 2017

[Newsmaker] Korean Kim In-kyung wins Ricoh Women's British Open

South Korean Kim In-kyung has captured her first LPGA major title in Scotland.Kim held off Jodi Ewart Shadoff of England to win the Ricoh Women's British Open by two strokes at Fife, Scotland, on Sunday, after carding a one-under 71 at the par-72 Kingsbarns Golf Links. Kim finished at 18-under 270, one shy of the tournament record in relation to par.Kim, world No. 21, now has seven career LPGA victories and is the first three-time winner on the tour this year. The 29-year-old is the fifth South

Aug. 7, 2017

Korean Kim In-kyung on verge of 1st LPGA major

South Korean Kim In-kyung is on the verge of capturing her first LPGA major in Scotland.Kim opened a six-stroke lead at the Ricoh Women's British Open at Fife, Scotland, on Saturday (local time), after a third round of six-under 66 at Kingsbarns Golf Links.The bogey-free round puts Kim in the driver's seat for her maiden LPGA major. Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand and Georgia Hall of England are tied for second at 11-under, followed by former British Open champ from South Korea, Park In-bee, at 10

Aug. 6, 2017

PGA Tour winner Bae Sang-moon to return in Sept. after military discharge

Two-time PGA Tour winner Bae Sang-moon will return to action next month following his impending military discharge, his agency said Friday.All That Sports said Bae will play at the Shinhan Donghae Open on the Korean Tour starting on Sept. 14 at Bear's Best Cheongna Golf Club in Incheon, just west of Seoul.Bae, 31, will complete his mandatory military service on Aug. 16.Bae began his military duty in November 2015 amid much controversy. Earlier that year, Bae lost a legal battle against the local

Aug. 4, 2017

K.J. Choi's teenage son hoping to best father's career

Choi Kang-jun, the 13-year-old son of PGA Tour veteran Choi Kyoung-ju, has only been playing golf for about four years.But he's already set his sights on a lofty goal: to win more PGA titles than his father, better known as K.J. Choi."I'd like to become a PGA Tour player by age 20," said Choi, after finishing his second round at the Korea National Junior Championship at Lake Hills Yongin Country Club in Yongin, some 50 kilometers south of Seoul. "My father has won eight times on the PGA Tour, an

Aug. 3, 2017

Latest LPGA winner soars in world rankings

South Korean golfer Lee Mi-hyang, the latest LPGA Tour winner, soared to a season-high No. 33 in the women's world rankings released Tuesday.Lee jumped 16 spots from the previous week, thanks to her come-from-behind victory at the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open.The 24-year-old rallied from six shots down at the start of the final round to capture her second career LPGA win. This was the largest final round comeback on the tour this year.Lee is the third consecutive South Korean c

Aug. 1, 2017

Korean Lee Mi-hyang rallies for 2nd LPGA win in Scotland

South Korean Lee Mi-hyang has rallied for her second career LPGA Tour win in Scotland.Lee poured in seven birdies in the final round to capture the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open on Sunday (local time). Six shots off the lead through three rounds, Lee carded a six-under 66 on the last day for the four-round total of six-under 282, beating fellow South Korean Hur Mi-jung and Australian Karrie Webb by a stroke at Dundonald Links in North Ayrshire, Scotland. In this Associated Press

July 31, 2017

Teen golfer hoping for Hall of Fame induction after runner-up finish at major

INCHEON -- On the heels of an impressive performance at the oldest major championship in women's golf, South Korean teenager Choi Hye-jin said Tuesday she hopes to enter the LPGA Hall of Fame someday.Choi returned home early Tuesday after finishing runner-up to fellow South Korean Park Sung-hyun at the US Women's Open at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Choi shot a nine-under 279 to end up two strokes behind the champion.Choi, 17, came close to becoming the first amateur champ

July 18, 2017

[Newsmaker] Park Sung-hyun wins US Women’s Open

South Korea‘s Park Sung-hyun won her first major golf title Sunday, firing her second consecutive five-under par 67 to capture the US Women’s Open as US President Donald Trump watched.　Park, the event’s seventh South Korean winner in 10 years, finished 72 holes at Trump National on 11-under 277 to defeat 17-year-old South Korean amateur Choi Hye-jin by two strokes.　“I am excited and happy,” Park said through a translator. “It feels unreal to a certain extent.”　Deadlocked for the lead with Choi,

July 17, 2017

US Women's Open champ Park Sung-hyun soars to No. 5 in world golf rankings

Thanks to her first LPGA major title at the US Women's Open, South Korean Park Sung-hyun soared to No. 5 in the latest women's world rankings announced Monday.Park shot an 11-under 277 to win the oldest women's major championship by two strokes on Sunday (local time) in New Jersey. The 23-year-old shot back-to-back rounds of 67s over the weekend to get past South Korean amateur Choi Hye-jin.It was Park's first LPGA win and her maiden major.The victory catapulted her to a career-high No. 5 in the

July 17, 2017

Trump congratulates Korea's Park on golf championship win

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump congratulated South Korean Park Sung-hyun on winning the US Women's Open on Sunday.Trump, who attended the oldest major championship in women's golf at his namesake golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, posted to his Twitter account, "Congratulations to Sung Hyun Park on winning the 2017 @USGA #USWomensOpen."This AP photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump waving while watching the US Women's Open at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on

July 17, 2017

Korean champion credits caddie in 1st LPGA major victory

The latest US Women's Open champion credited her caddie for helping close out her first major title.South Korean Park Sung-hyun won the 72nd edition of the oldest major in women's golf in New Jersey on Sunday (local time), shooting a five-under 67 in the final round at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster for a four-round total of 11-under 277. Park, an LPGA rookie, defeated South Korean amateur Choi Hye-jin by two strokes.Park started the day at six-under, three shots off the lead, held by Fe

July 17, 2017

Korean golfer Park Sung-hyun wins US Women's Open

South Korean Park Sung-hyun has captured the oldest major championship in women's golf.The 23-year-old LPGA rookie won the US Women's Open at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Sunday (local time), thanks to an impressive final round of five-under 67. At 11-under 277, Park defeated South Korean amateur Choi Hye-jin by two strokes to claim her first major title.Park, an LPGA rookie who previously dominated the Korea LPGA Tour, is the eighth South Korean winner of the US Women'

July 17, 2017