The Koreans are set to rekindle their love affair with one of the nation’s top sporting events if the world’s best female golfer, Inbee Park, has her way when the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia tees off on the East Course at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club (KLGCC) in October.
Confirming her participation in the showpiece tournament, the seven-time major winner threw down the gauntlet to her fellow countrywomen and anybody else with an eye on the trophy. For some time such a dominant force in the women’s game, South Koreans won the first three editions of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia with Jimin Kang (2010), Na Yeon Choi (2011) and Inbee Park (2012) all claiming honours.
Speaking about her return to KLGCC, the 2015 double major-winner Park said: “It’s been a pretty good year so far! Great to get back to the top of the rankings with the way Lydia’s been playing and then winning the Women’s British Open on the back of the Women’s PGA Championship was pretty special. I’ll be looking to carry my form through the rest of the tour in the US and then hopefully into Asia in October. The Sime Darby LPGA is a wonderful tournament. It’s a great course and I have some pretty good memories from 2012. I’m looking forward to it.”
Joining her in the 75-player field will be compatriot So Yeon Ryu. The 25 year old Ryu has shown equally solid form this year, with seven top-top finishes helping her on her way to fifth spot in the world rankings. A popular figure in Malaysia, Ryu’s name was at the top of the leader board on a number of occasions in the first two rounds in 2014 but she wasn’t able to carry it through the weekend, eventually finishing tied in third place.
But perhaps the player to have made the biggest impact on the LPGA Tour this year is LPGA Tour Rookie Hyo Joo Kim. Kim began making noises with her talent as a 14 year old amateur in 2009. Turning professional in late 2012, the youngster enjoyed two prolific years on the Korean LPGA Tour, while also playing in a handful of LPGA events.
But it was in 2014 that she really showed her class, winning the Evian Championship and shooting 61 in her first round – the lowest score any man or woman had ever shot in a major championship. Kim went on to beat Karrie Webb, securing her an LPGA tour card for 2015. And the results have continued to come, with the 20 year old claiming no less than 8 top ten finishes to date, including a second LPGA Tour victory at the JTBC Founder Cup. She is now ranked a remarkable No.4 in the world.
South Korea has become such a dominant force in women’s golf that no less than 15 of the top 30 ranked players in the world hail from the republic. One person who knows what it takes to succeed in the game, having coached and mentored a number of players to success over the years, including Hall of Famer Karrie Webb, 2014 Women’s British Open winner Mo Martin and US Open Winners, Eun Hee Ji (2008) and So Yeon Ryu (2011), is the Australian coach and mental guru, Ian Triggs.
Speaking about the mind-set that makes the Korean women such formidable opponents, Triggs said, "The Korean players not only possess an untiring work ethic, totally dedicated to self improvement but also a mental maturity that helps maintain stability in the heat of the battle which limits the damage to their confidence and self belief. The majority have no fear of testing themselves at the highest level and then also enjoy their countrywomen’s success. They are a serious force to be reckoned with on the golf course."
With ‘Women with Drive’ once again the slogan for this year’s event, you can be sure that the Koreans will be contending for honours come Sunday 11 October. And with Triggs now lending his expertise to the development of Malaysian talent – he is currently mentoring Kelly Tan, Michelle Koh and Diane Luke – golf fans in this country might have good reason to hope.
