Cutie-pie’ Park Hyun-kyung smiled for the first time in two and a half years.Park won the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour’s SK Networks-Seogyeong Ladies Classic (total prize money: 800 million won) in a playoff on the final day at Finks Golf Club (Par 72) in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, South Korea.Park and Lee finished the final round with identical 8-under-par 280s, forcing a playoff on the 18th hole (par-4).Park reached the green in two and holed out in two putts to beat Lee, who did not make a bogey.It was her first win of the season and her fourth career victory in 910 days since winning the Chris F&C KLPGA Championship in May 2021.Park, who had finished runner-up nine times in her career after winning her first three titles, was visibly emotional and teary-eyed.”Being runner-up nine times, I even doubted whether I was a player who couldn’t take chances,” said Park, who broke down in tears during her victory interview, “but I’ve been feeling good lately, so it’s a result of my mindset.”
Park also thanked her fans, including her fan club ‘Cutiepool’, who traveled to the tournament to support her, saying, “I was able to gain strength thanks to their support. I imagined winning the tournament many times with fans and spectators watching, and I’m glad I did.”‘Cutieful’ is Park’s nickname, which combines the English words ‘cutie’ and ‘beautiful’.Notably, Park avenged her overtime loss to Lee So-young at the Daewoo Women’s MBN Women’s Open in August last year.Park also avenged her runner-up finish at the tournament last year.Park took home KRW 140 million for her victory and moved up to fifth on the money list (KRW 838.67 million).Park started the day in a tie for the lead and was in a tight battle with Lee So-young until the final round.
Back-to-back birdies on the eighth and ninth holes gave Lee a one-stroke lead, but Park birdied the 10th to regain the lead.The pair birdied the 14th (par-3) side-by-side to move two strokes clear of the third group.Park birdied the 16th (par-5) to take a one-stroke lead, but Lee birdied the 17th (par-3) to regain the lead.The tie was not broken until the final 18th hole (par-4), where the two went on to play a playoff. Park shaved three strokes off her score in the fourth round, while Lee shot a 4-under 68.After playing the first overtime round at par, the second ended in disaster when Lee sent her tee shot into a bunker and then her second shot into the pond in front of the green.Hwang Jung-mi, who made four birdies without a bogey, is in third place (5-under 283).
Lim Jin-hee, Bang Shin-sil, Sung Yoo-jin, Lee Chae-eun, and Bae So-hyun finished tied for fourth (4-under par 284).Lee Chae-eun, who entered the tournament at No. 60 on the money list, the seeding cutoff for next season, moved up to No. 58 on the money list and nearly secured her seeding for next year.Second-place finisher Im Jin-hee finished tied for 34th 바카라사이트 (3-over par 291) to fall one stroke behind Lee.