Three female golfers to play at LPGA from next year

Lee So-mi (24), a five-time winner on the Korea LPGA (KLPGA) Tour, has successfully entered the U.S. league by finishing in second place at the LPGA Tour qualifying tournament. Sung Yu-jin (23), Jang Hyo-joon (20), and Lim Jin-hee (25) have also earned LPGA Tour membership.

On Wednesday, Lee was tied for second place at the six-round LPGA Q-Series, achieving an impressive 26-under 404 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Magnolia Grove in Mobile, Alabama. Despite leading Australia's Robyn Choi by two strokes entering the final day, Lee's one birdie and two bogeys added an extra shot. Meanwhile, Robyn Choi seized the lead with a remarkable four-stroke advantage, reversing the standings with six birdies and two bogeys. This victory marked Choi's second LPGA Tour membership since 2019. Joining Lee in second place was Japanese player Mao Saigo.

Sung Yu-jin, a two-time winner on the KLPGA Tour this year and three times in her career, is currently tied for seventh place at 19-under 411 alongside Jang Hyo-joon. Despite the trio's debut—Cho Ayean, Lim Hee-jung, and Park Hyun Kyung - drawing more attention, Sung was the first to step onto the U.S. stage. Meanwhile, with four KLPGA victories in 2023, Lim Jin-hee secured 17th place with a score of 13-under 417, earning her well-deserved membership.


hun@donga.com