Park Ji-young wins opening match of 2023 KLPGA season

Golf

Published: 11 Dec. 2022, 17:03

Park Ji-young wins opening match of 2023 KLPGA season

Park Ji-young celebrates after winning the Singapore Women's Open trophy on Sunday at Tanah Merah Country Club in Singapore. [KLPGA]

Heavy rain and lightening on Sunday cut the Singapore Women's Open to 36 holes at Tanah Merah Country Club in Singapore. [KLPGA]

Park Ji-young won the opening match of the 2023 KLPGA season, the Singapore Women's Open, on Sunday after playing just 36 holes as the match was shortened to two rounds due to inclement weather.

After carding a 11-under-par, 133, Park was set to head into the third and final round on Sunday when the event was canceled due to rain and lightning.

Only the first seven groups were able to tee off on the Tampines Course on Sunday after the tournament was halted at 8: 15 a.m. The decision to cancel the final round was made after about three hours at 11: 30 a.m. and Park was named the winner.

The KLPGA Tour regulations dictate that matches where players complete 36 holes can be considered as official competitions and the full purse can be given out.

"I didn't think that I would win this way," said Park on Sunday. "I am very happy to start my new season with a win. I am happy that I was lucky enough to win the title and will think of it as a gift that encourages me to play better golf."

This win marks Park's fifth career title ever. Her last victory was at the Mediheal Hankookilbo Championship in April when she carded a 270 to win her sole title of the 2022 season.

Park has had a good 2022 season, making the cut in all but two matches and finishing in the top 10 in seven matches.

"Playing the 2022 season, I felt the need to improve my short game," said Park. "I am going to try and do that over the winter and improve my shots overall."

KLPGA golfers Park Hyun-kyung, Hong Jung-min, and Lee So-young finished tied for second one stroke behind Park Ji-young with a total score of 10-under, 134.

Thai LPGA golfer Atthaya Thitikul who tried her hand at her very first KLPGA tournament, finished tied for ninth with a total score of seven-under, 137.

The top-10 finish is a good start for the 2022 LPGA Rookie of the Year.

Thitikul headed to the Singapore Women's Open after a successful 2022 season when she reached world No. 1 for the first time in her career. At age 19, Thithikul became the second-youngest female golfer to reach the top spot. New Zealander Lydia Ko, who became No. 1 at 17-years-old, is the youngest.

Thitikul was able to stay at the top for two weeks before Nelly Korda of the United States passed her on Nov. 14. Korda is now No. 2 and Ko took No. 1 after winning the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.

KLPGA favorite Park Min-ji tied with Thitikul for ninth, also setting herself up for another great season. For Park Min-ji, the Singapore Open may have been a chance to test out her skills abroad as she had said that she has her sights set on playing on a bigger stage, possibly meaning that she is considering playing in the LPGA Tour.

Over the last two years, Park Min-ji dominated the KLPGA Tour, playing 47 events and winning 12 titles. She has won one title in every four tournaments and is now No. 14 in the world rankings. She is the fourth-highest ranked Korean, following LPGA golfers No. 5 Ko Jin-young, No. 7 Chun In-gee and No. 9 Kim Hyo-joo.

After winning the 2021 KLPGA Player of the Year award, Park finished her 2022 season with a bang winning the last tournament, the SK Shieldus-SK Telecom Championship 2022, and topping the KLPGA money standings.

The KLPGA Tour continues next week with the PLK Pacificlinks Championship with SBS Golf at the Twin Doves Golf Club in Vietnam with 96 golfers vying for the top prize.

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