Golfer Hong Jung-min determined to make mark abroad

Hong Jung-min poses for a photo at the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School held in Morocco on Dec. 20. [LET]

Hong Jung-min will have a busy golf season next year, as she is set to compete on both the Ladies European Tour (LET) and LPGA Tour.

Hong earned an LET Tour card and LPGA conditional status this year, making her eligible to participate on both tours in addition to KLPGA, where she has competed since 2020.

The 21-year-old has one KLPGA title to her name, having won the Doosan Match Play Championship in 2022. She also came close to winning a title during the 2023 KLPGA season, managing a joint runner-up finish twice.

Her solid performance in the KLPGA Tour did not carry over to the international stage, however, as she barely managed to qualify for the LET and LPGA Tour.

She finished in 45th place — the last place to earn LPGA Tour status — at the LPGA Tour Q-series and tied for 20th at the LET Qualifying School. That finish was also the last place to earn a full seed for the LET Tour.

“Since I finished in last among those who qualified at both qualifying schools, my name was called first at the awards ceremony,” Hong said during an interview with the JoonAng Ilbo earlier this month. “It was funny, but I thought to myself ‘I am lucky.’

“I feel like my shots have been’t really good since last summer due to an injury, and all my subsidiary sponsors for next year withdrew when they found out that I am going to be competing overseas. I feel like that affected my play.”

Since Hong has conditional status in the LPGA, she can only compete in seven or eight Tour events.

She is keen to prove herself on the LET Tour, where she could shine and move on to become a bigger figure in golf.

“Since I have competed in Korea for three years, it is time for me to get out of my comfort zone,” Hong said. “I wouldn’t have challenged to compete on the LET Tour if I had received a full LPGA seed.”

Hong’s foremost objective is to be one of the top 10 prize money winners on the LET Tour, which would allow her to participate in the 2025 LPGA.

“I am worried of course,” she said. “I am scared since it is a way that other people have not walked before, and I don’t know what is coming. But I think my challenge is definitely worth it.”

The 2024 LPGA season will tee off in January next year, before the LET begins in February.

BY SUNG HO-JUN [kjdsports@joongang.co.kr]