The Korea Herald

Minjee Lee wins LPGA Tour's Kingsmill Championship

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) -- Minjee Lee shook off a three-putt bogey on her first hole with two finishing pars and won the Kingsmill Championship by two shots Monday, her first victory on the LPGA Tour.Lee, an 18-year-old Australian, finished at 15-under 269. She surged into the lead on Sunday with a round highlighted by a five-hole stretch that she played in 5 under and returned to the Kingsmill Resort's River Course on Monday morning with a four-stroke lead. She three-putted her first hole, the 1

May 18, 2015

World No. 2 Park In-bee earns LPGA win in Texas

World No. 2 Park In-bee captured her 14th career LPGA Tour victory on Sunday in Texas.Park claimed the Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout in Irving, Texas, for her second win of 2015. She shot a four-round total of 15-under 269 to beat fellow South Korean Park Hee-young and American Cristie Kerr by three strokes at Las Colinas Country Club. Park In-bee, who shot a bogey-free final round of six-under 65, joins South Korean rookie sensation Kim Sei-young and world No. 1 Lydia Ko of New Zea

May 4, 2015

Presidents Cup forms organizing panel

The PGA Tour on Friday launched an organizing committee for the 2015 Presidents Cup golf tournament in Songdo, Incheon, on Oct. 6-11.Roy Ryu, chairman of Poongsan Group, will head the committee, which has 13 other members, including Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Kim Jong-deok and PGA Tour deputy commissioner Jay Monahan.It will be the first time the 18-hole biennial golf tournament has been held in an Asian city. Roy Ryu (second from left), chairman of the 2015 Presidents Cup’s organizin

April 17, 2015

S. Koreans struggle to move up leaderboard at Masters

The two South Koreans left standing at the Masters struggled to move up the leaderboard at the first major championship of the men's golf season on Saturday. Noh Seung-yul and Bae Sang-moon both shot an even-par round of 72 at Augusta National Golf Club. Noh, playing in his first Masters, started his day with a double bogey before making three birdies against one bogey, and is sitting at even par for the tournament, good for a six-way tie for 30th. Bae, playing at Augusta for the third time,

April 12, 2015

Kim extends lead, Thai sisters lurking at ANA event

RANCHO MIRAGE (AFP) - South Korean rookie Kim Sei-Young birdied two of her final three holes to extend her lead at the LPGA Tour's ANA Inspiration event to three shots on Saturday.Kim fired a three-under 69 to finish 54 holes with a 10-under 206 in the first major championship of the season. American Stacy Lewis (68) is second while Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn and former winners Morgan Pressel and Brittany Lincicome are tied for third at six-under par.Ariya's older sister Moriya shot her second

April 5, 2015

Park In-bee picks up 13th LPGA win in Singapore

World No. 2 Park In-bee picked up her 13th career LPGA Tour victory in Singapore on Sunday, prevailing in a battle of the world's three highest-ranked female golfers.Park enjoyed a wire-to-wire victory at the HSBC Women's Champions with a four-round total of 15-under 273 on the Serapong Course at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore. World No. 1 Lydia Ko finished two shots back in second place, while No. 3-ranked Stacy Lewis finished third at 11-under.Park, who didn't make a bogey all week for her fir

March 8, 2015

Golf: Ko beats Yang for Australian Open crown

MELBOURNE (AFP) - Teenage world No.1 Lydia Ko added the Australian Open to her growing list of achievements with a two-stroke win at Royal Melbourne on Sunday.The 17-year-old New Zealander became the youngest-ever world No.1 earlier this month and is now the youngest player to win the Australian Open crown.It was her first tournament victory since moving to the top of the world rankings.Despite the hot and steamy conditions, Ko finished at nine under 283 after a closing two-under 71 to claim the

Feb. 22, 2015

17-year-old golfer Lydia Ko already looking to retirement

Only 17, top-ranked Lydia Ko says she's already planning to retire from golf by the time she's 30, and become a psychologist.Ko makes her second start at No. 1 in Thursday's first round of the Women's Australian Open at Royal Melbourne along with Karrie Webb and Australia's Su Oh, who won the Australian Ladies Masters last week in her second start as a professional.The South Korean-born Ko says she will soon start an on-line psychology degree to prepare for life after golf."I say my plan is to r

Feb. 18, 2015

Gov't mulls tax cuts for golfers on cue from president

The government is weighing various measures to vitalize golf, an official said Wednesday, quickly picking up a cue from President Park Geun-hye who a day earlier said the sport should be played more. The senior official said a meeting with the related ministries will be held soon to check on what can be done. "Lowering taxes has been one of the main demands by golfers and country clubs in the past," said the finance ministry insider, who declined to be identified. Lowering golf-related taxes

Feb. 4, 2015

S. Korean Choi Na-yeon wins 2015 LPGA Tour season opener

South Korea's Choi Na-yeon captured the 2015 LPGA Tour season opener in Florida on Saturday.Choi won the inaugural Coates Golf Championship by one stroke over three golfers, including fellow South Korean Jang Ha-na and the teen prodigy Lydia Ko.Choi shot a four-under 68 in the final round at Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club in Ocala, Florida, for a four-round total of 16-under 272. Choi took home $225,000 for her eighth career LPGA victory, and her first since November 2012."I was extremely

Feb. 2, 2015

Choi Na-yeon takes LPGA opener

OCALA, Florida (AP) ― During a closing stretch that featured one of the more tumultuous final hours in recent LPGA Tour history, teen wunderkind Lydia Ko faced a series of tough predicaments. But a query that came after the final round gave her the biggest pause of all.After reclaiming the lead late Saturday to set herself up for a double payoff of sorts, the 17-year-old double-bogeyed the 71st hole in the inaugural Coates Golf Championship to lose by a shot to Choi Na-yeon. However, Ko secured

Feb. 1, 2015

S. Korean Choi Na-yeon wins 2015 LPGA Tour season opener

South Korea's Choi Na-yeon captured the 2015 LPGA Tour season opener in Florida on Saturday.Choi won the inaugural Coates Golf Championship by one stroke over three golfers, including fellow South Korean Jang Ha-na and the teen prodigy Lydia Ko.Choi shot a four-under 68 in the final round at Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club in Ocala, Florida, for a four-round total of 16-under 272. Choi took home $225,000 for her eighth career LPGA victory, and her first since November 2012.Despite settling

Feb. 1, 2015

Jang surges into lead at opener

OCALA, Florida (AP) ― Jang Ha-na went from qualifier to leader in just a few days at the LPGA season opener.And it surprised no one.The 22-year-old South Korean, ranked 21st in the world, shot a 7-under 65 in the second round of the Coates Golf Championship on Thursday and opened up a four-shot lead over Stacy Lewis heading into the third round.Jang has full status on the LPGA Tour. But because the opener isn’t a full-field event, she had to qualify last Saturday. Her extra time at Golden Golf &

Jan. 30, 2015

Bae files suit to hold off military conscription

Facing conscription after being denied an extension on his overseas stay, PGA Tour golfer Bae Sang-moon has taken legal action to hold off military service, sources close to the South Korean said Thursday.The sources said the two-time PGA Tour winner filed an administrative suit Jan. 16 through his legal representatives, after the Military Manpower Administration refused to extend his overseas travel permit in December.Bae’s permit expired at the end of last year, and he had to return home withi

Jan. 29, 2015

Korda, Lewis, Munoz tied for lead at LPGA opener

Korea’s Park In-bee plays a shot on the 18th hole on Wednesday. (AFP-Yonhap)OCALA, Florida (AP) ― Jessica Korda pulled a hand warmer out of each jacket pocket, showing just how cold she was during the opening round of the LPGA opener.Her scoreboard told a much different story.The 21-year-old American shot a 6-under 66 in the opening round of the Coates Golf Championship on Wednesday and was in a three-way tie with fellow American Stacy Lewis and Azahara Munoz of Spain. All three teed off in wind

Jan. 29, 2015

Korda, Lewis, Munoz tied for lead at LPGA opener

PGA Tour's Bae Sang-moon files suit to hold off military conscription

Facing conscription after being denied an extension on his overseas stay, PGA Tour golfer Bae Sang-moon has taken legal action to hold off military service, sources close to the South Korean said Thursday.The sources said the two-time PGA Tour winner filed an administrative suit Jan. 16 through his legal representatives, after the Military Manpower Administration (MMA) refused to extend his overseas travel permit in December.Bae's permit expired at the end of last year, and he had to return home

Jan. 29, 2015

Wie set for LPGA Tour opener

OCALA, Florida (AP) ― Well-rested and healthy, Michelle Wie is ready to get back to work.“I’m very excited for this year,” said Wie, set to begin play Wednesday in the LPGA Tour’s season-opening Coates Golf Championship. “No major swing changes. Just working on building upon last year. I want to just keep the momentum going, just keep building.“My goal for this year is the same. I want to be consistent, but at the same time I want to get a little bit better each and every day.” The 25-year-old W

Jan. 28, 2015

LPGA opens with top field

OCALA, Florida (AFP) ― Top-ranked Park In-bee of South Korea and second-ranked New Zealand teen Lydia Ko will try to follow stellar 2014 campaigns with hot 2015 starts when the LPGA season begins Wednesday.The inaugural $1.5 million Coates Championship in suburban Orlando, Florida, marks the opening of a 33-event global calendar offering $61.6 million in prize money.The opening tournament features a field of 120 with a Wednesday to Saturday schedule to avoid a final-day conflict with American fo

Jan. 27, 2015

Bill Haas pulls away to win Humana Challenge

LA QUINTA, California (AP) ― Bill Haas pulled ahead with a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-4 16th and parred the final two holes for a one-stroke victory Sunday in the Humana Challenge.Haas closed with a 5-under 67 for his sixth PGA Tour title and first since the 2013 AT&T National. He won the 2010 event at PGA West for his first tour victory.Haas was making his first start since November. He took the long break to rest his left wrist, fractured in April when he fell down stairs at Hilton Head.Pa

Jan. 26, 2015

Bill Haas pulls away to win Humana Challenge

Jimmy Walker wins Sony Open

HONOLULU (AP) ― At least Jimmy Walker is leaving Hawaii with one trophy.Six days after losing a tournament on Maui he felt he should have won, Walker turned in a command performance Sunday on Oahu. He blew away the field with a 7-under 63 to win the Sony Open for the second straight year.His fourth career victory was the most impressive of all. On a course that lends itself to a free-for-all, Walker shot 62-63 on the weekend and set a tournament record with a nine-shot victory. The previous reco

Jan. 19, 2015