Korea fail to defend Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown title

Kim Hyo-joo plays her shot from the 16th tee during the Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown at TPC Harding Park on Saturday in San Francisco, California. [AFP/YONHAP]

Reigning champions Korea failed to reach the semifinals of the Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown for the first time ever with four losses in pool play, but went some way toward redeeming themselves with wins in their last two matches at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, California.

The International Crown is an unusual team-format tournament in which the eight top countries, represented by the top four golfers from that country according to the Rolex Women’s World Rankings, compete against each other.

Korea, represented by Cho Hye-jin, Kim Hyo-joo, Ko Jin-young and Chun In-gee, were in Pool B with Australia, Thailand and Japan.

The defending champions first competed with Australia on Thursday and conceded two losses in a four-ball competition, where two-player teams compete with each player playing her own ball and the lower score of the two players is chosen as that side’s score for the hole.

Korea suffered two more losses against Thailand the next day, ultimately losing the chance to reach the semifinals.

Having won the competition in 2018 on home soil — the event is biennial, but it returned this year after a five-year hiatus due to Covid-19 — defending champions Korea managed two wins against Japan to round off the tournament.

Ko and Kim beat Yuka Saso and Hinako Shibuno with a 3-and-2 victory, while Chun and Choi managed a 3-and-1 win over Nasa Hataoka and Ayaka Furue.

Saturday’s wins allowed Korea to finish the International Crown with two wins and four losses, while pushing Japan down to last place in Pool B with one draw and five losses.

Thailand were the strongest in Pool B, advancing to the semifinals with six wins. Australia also joined the last four with three wins, one draw and two losses.

Over in Pool A, Sweden and United States went through the semifinals after knocking China and England out.

Two semifinal matches were still set to be played on Sunday as of press time, with each match consisting of two singles matches and one foursome match. Foursome matches are also called alternate shots as it is a form of play where two players form a team and play one ball in alternating order on each hole.

Prior to this year's competition, Korea was the only country to have progressed to the final round at all previous tournaments.

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