KLPGA Update

In the first five events of the KLPGA season, several players emerged to challenge Ji Yai Shin, the teenage superstar who absolutely owned the league in 2006. One of those players was fellow second year player Sun Ju Ahn. In 2006, Ahn had been thoroughly overshadowed by Shin, but she quickly established herself in 2007, notching top ten finishes in two events in Australia. She then drew first blood on the KLPGA tour by winning the first event of the year (not including the co-sanctioned Binhai Ladies Open). As if that weren't enough, she also won the biggest event of the year, the Korean Women's Open, defeating Cristie Kerr in the process. Another top challenger for Shin was Eun Hee Ji (pictured). The top player on the Ladies Asian Golf Tour in 2006, she also won two of the first five events in 2007. That left Shin to take the remaining event, and so she found herself in the odd position of being third on the money list. But if there's one thing about Shin, it's that she rises to a challenge. And boy, did she let her competitors on tour know that she was not going to roll over and cede top honors on tour to anyone.

First up was the Hill State Seokyung Open, contested from June 1st - 3rd. This was a new event on tour, as the KLPGA has greatly expanded the number of events they are playing this season from years past. The course was a par 72 measuring 6,432 yards.

Ji Yai Shin was coming off her worst finish on tour in months, an 11th place finish at the Korean Women's Open (hardly a terrible finish, but it goes to show just how high her standards are). She "rebounded" nicely from that result by shooting a 5 under par 67 in round one to tie for the lead with Na Yeon Choi and Yoo Jin Choi (no relation to Na Yeon). One shot back at four under was Hee Young Park, another top player who had yet to win in 2007. League leading Eun Hee Ji and Sun Ju Ahn were another shot back at 3 under. It was one of the strongest leaderboards of the year, and a stern test for any of those ladies to be sure.

It looked like there would be a big battle between the top KLPGA stars brewing, but round two produced a big surprise. Turning in the best round of the day, an amazing 6 under par 66, was 17 year old amateur Hye Yong Choi (pictured). Her total of 10 under par put her on top of the leaderboard by the end of the day, and in great position to shock all the professional stars surrounding her. Her day consisted of four birdies, an eagle, and no mistakes. If her name sounds familiar, it's because she has already made a splash in world golf. Last year, she finished third at the Asian Games at 19 under par and garnered a bronze medal for her efforts; she also helped the Korean team to a gold medal performance in the team event. From the looks of her performance in this event, it seems like she was no flash in the pan!

Right on her tail was KLPGA superstar Hee Young Park, who shot a 67 on day two to move to 9 under. She had 6 birdies and a bogey on her day. Hae Jung Kim and Eun Hee Ji were next at 7 under, with Ji Yai Shin a ways back after a modest round two 71. Could Hee Young Park get her first win of the year, or would the youngster foil her? Or were there more surprises in store for the final round?

Hee Young Park had put herself in great position, but she was never able to get going on the final day and shot a one over par 73 to finish her week. She finished tied for 6th with Na Yeon Choi, who shot a 69 in round three.

Her amateur opponent had much the same experience. She went out in one over par, came back in one under, and finished the week at 10 under, not good enough for the win, but still a great finish for a teenage amateur.

So in the end, the tournament came down to the top three players on the KLPGA money list and the winners of all five events this year. On the KLPGA tour, you often end up with battles like this, but how often do you get all the top players on tour in the top six at once, plus a great amateur? This was really a fantastic leaderboard indeed.

Shin ripped off birdies on holes 3 and holes 6 - 8 to move to 10 under and a one shot lead by the turn. Ji had two birdies and was at 9 under while Ahn was three under at the turn, also at 9 under total. But Shin made two more birdies at 11 and 14 to move to 12 under and held onto the lead as the tournament ran down. Ahn (pictured) made two more birdies and a bogey, then a birdie on 17 to move to within one of Shin. But she made a bogey on the final hole and fell to 10 under total. That left just Ji to stop Shin's victory celebration. Ji got to 10 under with a birdie on the par 5 15th, but did not make another birdie until the final hole. That gave her second place, but Shin the trophy.

And so, Shin won her second event of the year, tying Ahn and Ji for the most wins this year and making it so that those three had won all the events in 2007. The question now was, which of those three would emerge as the top gun in the coming events?