Park Min-ji steals victory at Celltrion Queens Masters

Golf

Published: 12 Jun. 2022, 17:36

Park Min-ji steals victory at Celltrion Queens Masters

Park Min-ji celebrates winning the Celltrion Queens Masters held at Seolhaeone country club in Yangyang, Gangwon, on Sunday. [KLPGA]

Park Min-ji tees off on the first hole of the final round of the Celltrion Queens Masters held at Seolhaeone country club in Yangyang, Gangwon, on Sunday. [KLPGA]

Park Min-ji took a wire-to-wire victory at the Celltrion Queens Masters held at Seolhaeone country club in Yangyang, Gangwon, on Sunday, three strokes ahead of rookie Kim Min-ju.

Despite having a quiet final round after parring the first 17 holes on Sunday, Park concreted her second win of the season with a bang — or rather, a plunk — as she sunk her eagle putt in the last par-5 18th. She is now the first golfer on the KLPGA Tour to have multiple wins this season.

As the Celltrion Queens Masters was a three-day, 54 hole event, Park started out her first round on Friday carding nine birdies and two bogies. Kim was tied for second alongside Kwak Bo-mi and Bae So-hyun.

The second round played out similarly, and Park kept her top position carding eight birdies and two bogies. While 2021 Rookie of the Year Song Ga-eun stepped up to No. 2 carding seven birdies and one bogey, this season's rookie Kim was pushed down to third.

The final round was surprisingly quiet for Park as she was unable to find any birdies until the second-to-last hole. Kim tried to keep up with Park until the very end, but Park played her own game, tying up her three days with an eagle on the par-5, 18th, on Sunday to clinch her second trophy of the season.

She is the first golfer this season to win a title with an eagle on the last hole.

Park Min-ji watches her second shot on the first hole during the final round of the Celltrion Queens Masters held at Seolhaeone country club in Yangyang, Gangwon, on Sunday. [KLPGA]

Park is the only golfer to have won multiple titles this season and to have defended her title this season. Park has also already defended her title twice this season.

Park picked up her first KLPGA Tour victory of the season on May 15 at the NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship, carding an 11-under-par, 205, one stroke ahead of Hwang Jeong-mee, to defend her 2021 title.

Park's second title in just the 10th event of the season may be a signal that Park is set to repeat her explosive performance from last season.

Park was named the KLPGA Player of the Year after winning six titles last season. The most titles won on the KLPGA Tour in a single season is nine, a record held by Shin Ji-yai.

Park picked up her first win in April at the Nexen Saint Nine Masters 2021 and her second at the 2021 NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship. Park's third win came a week after her second, at the Doosan Match Play Championship. Her fourth win came at the Celltrion Queens Masters Open, after she sat out the Lotte Open to recharge. Park picked up her fifth win at the DB Group Korea Women's Open in June, then won her sixth title at the Daebo hausD Open. She has won six titles already at her 11th event of the season and the 13th KLPGA event of the season.

Kim Min-ju tees off on the first hole of the final round of the Celltrion Queens Masters held at Seolhaeone country club in Yangyang, Gangwon, on Sunday. [KLPGA]

Kim Min-ju looks on the green on the second hole of the final round of the Celltrion Queens Masters held at Seolhaeone country club in Yangyang, Gangwon, on Sunday. [KLPGA]

For rookie Kim, this is only her ninth event ever on the KLPGA Tour. She made the cut in five events. Kim's best finish up until this week was placing 23rd at the NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship on May 15, where Park won her first season title.

Despite missing out on her very first trophy, Kim showed a strong performance throughout the event. After birdying the first seven holes of the event on Friday, Kim was able to stay in the top three in all three rounds.

"I did feel like I was being chased by Kim especially because her driving distance is long," said Park at the post-tournament interview on Sunday.

"Before teeing off, I checked the location of the pins and found that they had been moved to difficult locations on the green, and I felt nervous about that. But I told myself that I was doing well because I didn't bogey despite the difficult pin locations.

"I also had the confidence. In the first two rounds, I was confident that I could birdie even after bogeying."

Park is also the defending champion for the next event, the DB Group The 36th Korea Women's Open Golf Championship, starting Thursday.

"I don't feel much of a burden to defend my title," said Park.

"Even though I don't think about being defending champion much, the Celltrion Queens Masters was very respectful about it, and I think that was why I could play comfortably, so I'm grateful towards Celltrion.

"I have decided not to think too far ahead. I play each and every event to win, and only to win. I won't think about other things and I promise to be that kind of player."

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]