Park Ji-young wins inaugural Mediheal-Hankook Ilbo Championship

Park Ji-young looks at the green on the 18th hole in the third round of the Mediheal-Hankook Ilbo Championship at the Ferrum Club in Yeoju, Gyeonggi on Saturday. [YONHAP]

Park Ji-young won the inaugural Mediheal-Hankook Ilbo Championship at the Ferrum Club in Yeoju, Gyeonggi on Sunday, finishing at 18 under, 270, to beat second-place Lee Chae-eun by six strokes.

Park rode an especially strong first round to victory, finishing eight under on Thursday to tie the course record and secure an early lead. She held on to that lead throughout the remaining three rounds, shooting a 68 on Friday and 69s on both Saturday and Sunday for a wire-to-wire victory.

Sunday's win was the second in the last year for Park, the 2015 KLPGA Rookie of the Year, following the S-Oil Championship in November last year. She has now won four KLPGA titles — the 2016 S-Oil Championship, 2018 Hyosung Championship, 2021 S-Oil Championship and 2022 Mediheal-Hankook Ilbo Championship.

The win at the KLPGA Mediheal event also earns Park a ticket to the LPGA Mediheal Championship in Somis, California in October.

Lee Chae-eun secured second place with a strong performance on Sunday, knocking Lee Da-yeon down to third with a two-under, 70, on the final round. Lee Da-yeon, who had tied the score record with her own 64 on Friday, struggled with a 73 on Sunday to fall out of the top two.

Lee Chae-eun and Lee Da-yeon both had bogey-free rounds, on both Thursday and Friday respectively. Despite tying the tournament record on Thursday, Park still had one bogey, getting nine birdies to finish eight under.

Jang Su-yeon, who won the Lotte Rent-a-Car Ladies Open to kick off the 2022 Tour last week, struggled this week and finished tied for 23rd.

The KLPGA Tour will continue next week with the third tournament of the season, the Nexen Saint Nine Masters at Gaya Country Club in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang from April 21 to 24.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]