Hong Ji-won wins her first-ever title at the Hanwha Classic 2022

Hong Ji-won plays her iron on the third hole during the final round of the Hanwha Classic 2022 at Jade Palace Golf Club in Chuncheon, Gangwon on Sunday. [KLPGA]

Hong Ji-won won her first-ever title at the Hanwha Classic 2022 at Jade Palace Golf Club in Chuncheon, Gangwon on Sunday, carding a one-over-par, 289 in total.

The final round of the Hanwha Classic was postponed for 10 minutes on Sunday because of fog.

Jade Palace is known to be a challenging golf course with difficult roughs, making it even more important that golfers try to land their shots on the fairway.

Due to added difficulty because of the foggy conditions, only four golfers were able to card an under-par on the last day. Hong had three birdies and three bogies on Sunday, carding an even par for the day to finish on top, four strokes ahead of Park Min-ji.

This is only the eighth time and the first time in seven years that a KLPGA title was won with an over-par score. The last time was in 2015 when Park Sung-hyun won the Korea Open with one-over-par.

Hong debuted in the top-tier tour last year, her best finish being third place at last year's Hanwha Classic.

This year’s Hanwha Classic was the 11th edition of the tournament and the third major KLPGA tournament of the season.

Most of the recent champions at the Hanwha Classic have made the move to the United States to play on the LPGA Tour. The 2018 champion Lee Jeong-eun, 2016 champion Park Sung-hyun, 2014 champion Kim Hyo-joo, 2013 champion Kim Sei-young, 2012 champion Choi Na-yeon and Pak Se-ri, who won the tournament three times in 1995, 1996 and 1997, all advanced to the LPGA Tour.

The KLPGA continues on Friday with the 11th KG Edaily Ladies Open.

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