Ko Jin-young looks to defend title at HSBC Women's Championship

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Ko Jin-young looks to defend title at HSBC Women's Championship

Published: 01 Mar. 2023, 13:45 Updated: 01 Mar. 2023, 17:48

Ko Jin-young plays her shot from the 11th tee during the second round of the Pelican Women's Championship at Pelican Golf Club on Nov. 12, 2022 in Belleair, Florida. [GETTY]

The HSBC Women’s World Championship tees off at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore on Thursday as 12 Korean golfers look to continue their dominance at the second stop on the LPGA Tour's Asian swing.

A total of 66 golfers are competing as the 2023 Tour continues at full steam. Among the Koreans in the field are big names like Ko Jin-young, Chun In-gee and Kim Hyo-joo.

The HSBC Women’s World Championship started in 2008 and has long been dominated by Korean golfers, winning seven of 14 times.

Defending champion Ko Jin-young, who recorded 17-under-par, 271, last year, will look to defend her title this year. The former world No. 1 has not won a tournament since last year's HSBC Women's World Championship.

Ko Jin-young was not able to perform well last year as a wrist injury hindered her performance, but she has now fully recovered and displayed decent form last week as she tied for sixth at the Honda LPGA in Thailand.

It also marked the first time she has carded all four rounds under par and in the 60s since the 2022 Amundi Evian Championship.

Two other former champions are joining the field; 2021 champion Kim and 2013 champion Stacy Lewis of the United States.

Lewis managed 15-under-par, 273, in 2013, while Kim recorded 17-under-par, 271, in 2021.

The two past champions are not the only threat to Ko Jin-young. Chun In-gee, who finished as runner-up with a margin of two strokes last year, is chasing her first LPGA title in nine months. Her last title was the KPMG Women’s PGA championship last June.

Chun In-gee putts on the first whole green during the first round of the LPGA Honda Thailand in Pattaya, Thailand on Feb. 23. [AP PHOTO]

No Korean golfer has won an LPGA event since then.

Park In-bee, the only player to win the HSBC Women’s World Championship twice in 2015 and 2017, will not take part this year because she is pregnant. She has not competed in any events since last August.

Nine of the top 10 golfers on the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings are competing in Singapore: No. 1 Lydia Ko of New Zealand, No. 2 Nelly Korda of the United States, No 3. Lee Min-jee of Australia, No 4. Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand, No. 5 Ko, No. 7 Brooke Henderson of Canada, No. 8 Chun, No. 9 Kim and No. 10 Nasa Hataoka of Japan.

Of the top 10, only No. 6 Lexi Thompson is skipping the event and the $1.8-million purse.

World No. 1 Lydia Ko of New Zealand prepares to tee off on the 1st hole during the first round of the LPGA Honda Thailand in Pattaya, Thailand on Feb. 23. [AP PHOTO]

Nine other Korean golfers are joining the field: Choi Hye-jin, Kim Sei-young, Jenny Shin, An Na-rin, Kim A-lim, Lee Jeong-eun6, Lee Eun-hee, Chella Choi and Amy Yang.

Choi Hye-jin will be the first Korean to tee off on Thursday at 7:37 a.m. on the first hole with Alison Lee and Sarah Schmelzel of the United States.

Chun starts at 9:01 a.m. with countrywoman Kim Hyo-joo and Nasa Hataoka of Japan on the first hole, while the defending champion Ko Jin-young is teeing off at 9:13 a.m. on the first hole alongside Atthaya Thikiul of Thailand and Brook Henderson of Canada.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]