Park Joo-young (33, Dongbu E&C) will attempt to win her first career title at the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour’s Daebo Howdy Open (total prize fund of 1 billion won, winner’s purse of 180 million won).
Park shaved four strokes off her score in the second round of the tournament at the par-72 Seowon Valley Country Club in Paju, South Korea, on Tuesday to sit atop the leaderboard with a five-under par 139 total.
Park, who started the day in a tie for eighth place, made two bogeys and six birdies on the day.
Park is playing her final round in the Champions Group after winning the Celltrion Queens Masters in June. Park, who joined the LPGA in 2008 and has yet to win a regular tour event, finished tied for fifth at the Celltrion Queens Masters. She also finished runner-up at the BC Card-Hankyung Ladies Cup 2023 the same month.
If Park wins, it will be her first career victory in her 279th regular tour event, setting a new record for most career victories. The current record for most wins in a career is held by Seo Yeon-jeong, who won her 259th event on March 3 at the KG Ladies Open.
Speaking to the KLPGA Tour after the match, Park said that she was able to keep the fairways in play, which led to her good performance. “The course was difficult, but staying in the fairways was the main thing,” she said, explaining, “I was able to make important par-saving putts and get the flow going.”
Park said she will not be concerned about the championship group matches. “I think I need to enjoy playing in the Champions Group a little bit more and not be so attached to the outcome,” she said. “I don’t have any pressure because a bad shot or putt went well, so I’m going to play with the mindset that if I win, it’s enough, if I don’t, it’s enough.”스포츠토토
Park revealed that she is juggling childcare and practice. “It was really hard to combine childcare and practice,” she said, explaining, “Every day, after putting my son to bed, I would practice my putts at home for two to three hours, and at 9 p.m., I would go to the driving range to practice my shots.”
Park asks us to keep an eye out for lesser-known players like him. “There are more than 100 players in the tournament,” he says, “and there’s no one who doesn’t work hard. “I think it’s good for the unknown players who are working hard to be recognized,” he said, “but only half of them are well known. I want everyone to realize that every player is working hard to win, and I hope they will support them.”