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2021 was a better year; she made nearly 300
million won, 28th on the money list. She had six top tens,
including another runner up finish, this time at the BC Card.
She was getting closer to winning but still wasn't able to
break through.
At last, 2022 was the year Sung rose from
the ranks with her first win. That win came at the Lotte Open
in June. She added five additional top tens and earned 435
million won, 19th on the money list. She had improved every
year since joining the KLPGA.
In early 2023, thanks to her win at the Lotte
event, she was invited to play the LPGA's Lotte Championship.
She made the most of it, getting into a playoff for the title
with LPGA rookie Grace Kim. Kim won the event, but Sung's
tie for second finish convinced her that she was capable of
being an LPGA player.
Sung took that confidence into the 2023 KLPGA
season. She won the Doosan Match Play for her second win.
Late in the season, she had to go to America to play a qualifying
round at Q-Series; she did well there and made it into the
finals. She returned and finished in the top four in her final
three events, including a tie for third at the Hite Cup, the
year's final Major. After three rounds, she led the S-OIL,
but struggled in the final round, falling well off the pace.
But so much rain fell that they had to cancel the final round,
meaning that Sung won that event thanks to her third round
lead. Not the ideal way to end her KLPGA career, but a win
is a win.
Yu Jin ended up finishing the season in 10th
on the money list, with 684 million won earned.
She then went to Q-Series finals. She played
well all week, eventually finishing tied for 7th to earn category
14 status for the 2024 LPGA season. She can't wait to get
over there to start the next phase of her career!
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