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KLPGA's Park Hyun-kyung leans into training, lessons from mentors as she prepares for eighth year on Tour

Published: 25 Jan. 2026, 16:02 Updated: 25 Jan. 2026, 16:40

Park Hyun-kyung competes at the KB Financial Star Championship in Icheon, Gyeonggi on Sept. 4, 2025. [NEWS1]

PORTIMAO, Portugal — Under the clear winter skies of the Algarve in southern Portugal, Park Hyun-kyung pushes through nightly training and swing work as she prepares for the 2026 KLPGA season.

“Locals joke that opening a dry cleaner or car wash here would go out of business because there is almost no dust,” said Im Young-hee, CEO of TY Sports International, who has visited the Algarve for 12 consecutive years.

Even after the sun slips below the horizon, the glow lingers. Beneath the fading light, Park continues her routine, jumping rope 1,000 times each night and returning to her lodging.

This winter marks Park’s 15th overseas training. Among countless memories, two moments stand out most clearly.

The first dates back to her first year of middle school, when she trained for two months with her father, Park Se-soo, a former KPGA Tour golfer. He imposed penalties for shots that found hazards, went out of bounds or resulted in three-putts.

The younger Park responded by grinding through every session. Over the entire two months, she incurred penalties only twice.

That experience taught her early that mistakes carry consequences. She grew into a golfer who handles all 14 clubs with ease and now ranks near the top across tour statistical categories.

Park Hyun-kyung competes at the Sangsangin-Hankyung Wownet Open in Yangju, Gyeonggi on Oct. 16, 2025. [NEWS1]

Another turning point came during her first winter training camp with KLPGA and LPGA veteran Ko Jin-young.

Park described her mindset before training with Ko as one that “crumbled in the face of pressure.” It hardened during their training in 2019. By the following year, friends told her, “You really resemble Ko Jin-young,” she said.

The resemblance extends beyond demeanor. Neither golfer relies on overwhelming distance or exceptional putting. Instead, both maximize their strengths across the bag, from driver to putter.

Park’s consistency, built on precise iron shots, has kept her among the KLPGA's elite for seven years and often draws comparisons to Ko.

Now in her eighth year on the Tour, Park shows no sign of fading passion.

“I have felt disappointed when shots do not come together, but I have never felt like I did not want to play golf,” Park said. “The worse things get, the more I dig in and think, ‘Let’s see who wins.’

“Physical pain is a sign of insufficient strength, and I get over it through training instead of rest.”

After winning three titles in 2024, Park slowed to one victory last year. Lingering side muscle issues led to what she described as “shots I could not accept myself.”

She is keen to showcase her consistent form in the 2026 season on the back of her already successful career, during which she has clinched eight wins, including two major titles.

The 2026 campaign tees off in March and runs through November across 31 competitions.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SUNG HO-JUN [[email protected]]