Rookie Yoon Ina wins her first KLPGA title at Evercollagen Queens Crown

Yoon Ina reacts after sinking her birdie putt to win the Evercollagen Queens Crown 2022 at Lakewood Country Club in Yangju, Gyeonggi, on Sunday. [KLPGA]

Rookie Yoon Ina won her first-ever KLPGA title at the Evercollagen Queens Crown 2022 on Sunday after a wire-to-wire victory.

Yoon carded a 20-under-par, 268, clinching the trophy one stroke over Park Ji-young, who was looking for her second victory of the season after winning in April.

Yoon started out the first round bogeyless, carding a seven-under-par, and stayed that way until she carded her first bogey of the event in the par-3 12th in the second round.

Yoon again started off bogeyless on moving day, carding seven birdies. Then in the final round, Yoon seemed a little shaken, bogeying three holes: the par-5 seventh, par-4 ninth and par-4 14th.

Park stayed calm and had a stable final round, carding only three birdies and no bogies, but that was not enough to overtake Yoon.

In the last hole, Yoon was able to sink her birdie putt while Park missed her birdie putt and parred.

Despite this being her first season on the KLPGA, Yoon has been on good form since June, having finished a solo third at the BC Card · Hankyung Ladies Cup 2022 on June 26 and finished solo second at the McCol · Mona Park Open with SBS Golf on July 3.

Yoon first burst onto the scene this season with an exceptionally long driving distance. Yoon's average driving distance for the Evercollagen Queens Crown 2022 was 268.6 yards longer than her season average of 263.8 yards. Her driving accuracy, however, was at 50 percent for this event, lower than her season average of 66.3 percent.

With the win, Yoon jumps up to No. 5 on the purse standings and second on the rookie rankings.

"I feel bewildered because I am so happy," Yoon said.

"Honestly, I was very nervous [before the last putt], but I thought that I should focus not on the results but on what I can actually do at that moment. I tried to do my best and have no regrets."

Winning her first-ever title on just her 14th tournament may line her up for a good season and possibly even the Rookie of the Year award at the end of the season.

"I want to be able to do my best preparing for every match," said Yoon. "I will do my best competing at every match too."

The KLPGA Tour returns Friday with the three-day, 54 hole Hoban Seoul Shinmun Women's classic.

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