PGA Tour's Im Sung-jae looking to crack top 20 in world rankings in 2022

At No. 26, Im Sung-jae is the top South Korean in the men's world golf rankings. And the two-time PGA Tour winner wants to move even higher in the new year. "I will try to take it step by step and stay inside the top 20," Im said Wednesday in an online interview with South Korean media. He is in Hawaii to prepare for the Sentry Tournament of Champions, which starts Thursday, as the first event of 2022. Im reached a career-high 16th in the rankings in February last year but dropped to

Jan. 5, 2022

LPGA Player of the Year Ko Jin-young hungry for more glory

After just four seasons on the LPGA Tour, South Korean star Ko Jin-young has already accomplished more than what most other golfers would love to achieve in their entire careers. But Ko, 26, isn't yet satisfied. In a Zoom press conference with the South Korean media Monday, Ko said she feels she still has so much room for improvement. If Ko can somehow get better after an outstanding 2021 season, in which she won the Player of the Year award and the money title thanks to a tour-best five vict

Dec. 27, 2021

S. Korean An Narin wins LPGA qualifying tournament

South Korean golfer An Narin has captured her LPGA Tour card with a flourish, winning the grueling qualifying tournament by shooting the best score in the field on the final day. An finished in first place at the LPGA Q-Series, an eight-round marathon that wrapped up at Highland Oaks Golf Club in Dothan, Alabama, on Sunday (local time). An, a two-time Korea LPGA (KLPGA) winner, carded a six-under 66, with seven birdies against one bogey, in the final round to finish at 33-under 541 overall. Th

Dec. 13, 2021

KLPGA star Choi Hye-in among 5 S. Koreans to survive 1st cut in LPGA qualifying event

South Korean tour star Choi Hye-jin has made the initial cut at the LPGA Tour's qualifying tournament in Alabama. Choi, a three-time Korea LPGA (KLPGA) Tour Player of the Year, was one of five South Koreans to finish inside the top 70 and ties after the first phase of the LPGA Q-Series concluded in Mobile, Alabama, on Sunday (local time). After the first 72 holes, Choi is in second place at 17-under 269, two strokes back of Pauline Roussin-Bouchard of France. Another KLPGA player, An Narin, i

Dec. 6, 2021

S. Korean Lim Hee-jeong takes 54-hole lead at home LPGA tournament

After her third consecutive bogey-free round, South Korean tour star Lim Hee-jeong is on the verge of her maiden LPGA victory on home soil. Lim, a four-time Korea LPGA (KLPGA) winner, opened up a four-stroke lead through 54 holes at the BMW Ladies Championship on Saturday in Busan, some 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Lim, who collected seven birdies en route to a 65 at the par-72 LPGA International Busan, leads the 84-player field at 18-under. World No. 2 Ko Jin-young and another KLPGA p

Oct. 23, 2021

S. Korean Im Sung-jae captures 2nd career PGA Tour title

Powered by a blistering final round, South Korean Im Sung-jae has captured his second career PGA Tour title. Im won the Shriners Children's Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas on Sunday (local time), after pouring in nine birdies in a bogey-free final round of 62. By finishing at 24-under 260, Im will cash in a winner's check of $1.26 million. Im, the 2018-19 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, picked up his first title at the Honda Classic in March 2020. He joins Choi Kyoung-ju, Yang Yong-eun, Bae Sa

Oct. 11, 2021

Ko Jin-young captures 3rd LPGA title of 2021 in record-tying fashion

World No. 2 Ko Jin-young has found the LPGA winner's circle for the third time in 2021, while also tying a scoring record held by a legend and making a late-season push for the Player of the Year award. Ko went wire-to-wire to capture the Cognizant Founders Cup at the par-71 Mountain Ridge Country Club in West Caldwell, New Jersey, on Sunday (local time). After shooting a five-under 66, Ko finished at 18-under 266, four strokes better than Caroline Masson of Germany. This was Ko's 14th consecu

Oct. 11, 2021

Korean K.J. Choi wins PGA's senior golf tour event

Veteran Choi Kyoung-ju has won a PGA Tour Champions tournament, becoming the first Korean golfer to win a men's professional senior golf tour event. Choi, affectionately known as K.J. Choi, shot a final round of 68, with five birdies and one bogey, for a total of 13-under 203 at the PGA TOUR Champions PURE Insurance Championship held at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California, on Sunday (US time). It is the first victory for a Korean golfer at the PGA Tour Champions, formerly known a

Sept. 27, 2021

S. Korean Im Sung-jae sets PGA Tour record for most birdies in a season

With five birdies in the final round of the 2020-2021 PGA Tour season, South Korean golfer Im Sung-jae has broken a scoring record that stood for 21 years. Im sank a 21-foot putt for a birdie on the second hole during the closing round of the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta on Sunday (local time). It was Im's 494th birdie, helping him eclipse the previous record of 493 birdies by Steve Flesch in 2000. The tour began tracking records in 1980. Im finished with

Sept. 6, 2021

[Weekender] Young players breathe new life into golf

Five months after taking up the sport, Kim Arum finds herself more frequently at golf ranges -- real or virtual -- than at restaurants or cafes. She often hangs out with friends on the green, practices almost every other day at an indoor golf studio after work and splurges on golf hats, golf shirts and pants. It has become her favorite pastime these days, said Kim, who works at a TV station in Seoul. While many indoor sports suffered a blow from the virus crisis, this particular one has foun

Aug. 28, 2021

S. Koreans suffer 1st LPGA major shutout in 11 years

File this under "something you don't see very often in sports." South Korean golfers have been shut out at LPGA majors this year, the first time that's happened since 2010. Kim Sei-young ended the AIG Women's Open at Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland in a tie for 13th on Sunday (local time). She was tied for eighth after 54 holes at six-under par but finished her tournament at the same score after an up-and-down 72 in the final round. The country has been a dominant force in women's

Aug. 23, 2021

Kim Sei-young ties for 13th at LPGA season's final major

Kim Sei-young finished tied for 13th at the final major tournament of the 2021 LPGA season in Scotland, leaving South Korea without a major champion for the first time in 11 years. Kim shot an even-par round of 72 at the AIG Women's Open at Carnoustie Golf Links in Carnoustie, Scotland, on Sunday (local time). With a four-round total of six-under 282, Kim ended in 13th place with six others. Anna Nordqvist of Sweden won the championship at 12-under 276. Kim started the final round at six-under

Aug. 23, 2021

Kim Sei-young 3 back of lead after 3 rounds at LPGA season's final major

Kim Sei-young will need some final round magic to capture the last major tournament of the 2021 LPGA season. Kim found herself three strokes off the lead in a tie for eighth place at the AIG Women's Open at Carnoustie Golf Links in Carnoustie, Scotland, on Saturday (local time). The South Korean shot an even-par 72 in the rainy third round, after trading in her four birdies with four bogeys. She entered the third round in third place but is now tied for eighth with six other players at six-und

Aug. 22, 2021

Kim Sei-young tied for 1st round lead at LPGA season's final major

South Korean star Kim Sei-young has a share of the first round lead at the final major of the 2021 LPGA season. Kim shot a five-under 67 to open the AIG Women's Open at Carnoustie Golf Links in Carnoustie, Scotland, on Thursday (local time). She is tied at the top with Nelly Korda of the United States, world No. 1 and Olympic gold medalist, and Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden. Kim, world No. 4, picked up six birdies, including three in a row starting at the par-5 fifth, and had her lone bogey at t

Aug. 20, 2021

LPGA star Park In-bee embracing tough conditions at historic course

Park In-bee likes to be challenged on the golf course. The LPGA Hall of Famer has enough confidence in her game to thrive under difficult conditions where lesser golfers may falter. That approach will certainly come in handy this week in Scotland, where the LPGA Tour holds its fifth and final major tournament of 2021 on a historic links course. Carnoustie Golf Links will host the AIG Women's Open starting Thursday. It has held eight Open Championships on the men's side, and this will be the se

Aug. 18, 2021

S. Koreans trying to end LPGA major drought at Carnoustie

On a historic course in Scotland this week, South Korean LPGA golfers will try to avoid making a wrong kind of history. Long a dominant force in women's golf, South Korea is in danger of being shut out at LPGA major championships for the first time in 11 years. The AIG Women's Open, the fifth and final major of 2021, will tee off at Carnoustie Golf Links in its namesake Scottish town Thursday. The four previous majors were won by four players from four countries. For South Korea, Lee Jeong-eu

Aug. 18, 2021

3 S. Koreans to compete in PGA Tour's annual playoffs starting this week

Three South Korean players will be in action for the annual PGA Tour playoffs starting this week, competing with more than 100 others in a quest for a jackpot in September. Kim Si-woo, Im Sung-jae and Lee Kyoung-hoon have finished 30th, 31st and 34th on the FedEx Cup points rankings, and have qualified for the first leg of the playoffs, the Northern Trust, which will tee off at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Thursday. The top 125 from the FedEx Cup standings will be

Aug. 17, 2021

2 S. Koreans tie for 7th at US Women's Open

Two South Korean golfers have finished tied for seventh at the US Women's Open, as the country failed to produce its third consecutive champion at the oldest major tournament in women's golf. World No. 1 Ko Jin-young and second-ranked Park In-bee both finished the championship at one-over 285 at the Olympic Club in San Francisco on Sunday (local time). Ko shot a two-under 69 in the final round, thanks to three birdies against one bogey. Park, a two-time US Women's Open champion, had a 72 on Sun

June 7, 2021

S. Korean golfers looking to make it 3 in a row at US Women's Open

South Korean female golfers will try to crash the party at the American national championship for the third straight year this week. The US Women's Open, the second major tournament of the LPGA season, will tee off in San Francisco on Thursday, with 20 South Koreans in action. The country has produced the past two champions and three of the last four: Park Sung-hyun (2017), Lee Jeong-eun (2019) and Kim A-lim (2020). The Lake Course at the Olympic Club, the par-71 layout at 6,547 yards, will p

June 2, 2021

Fresh off 1st PGA win, Lee Kyoung-hoon closes in on Olympic berth

With his first career PGA Tour win in the bag, South Korean golfer Lee Kyoung-hoon will be chasing another victory of sorts: a ticket to the Tokyo Olympics in summer. By winning the AT&T Byron Nelson in Texas on Sunday, Lee soared from 137th to 59th in the world rankings. That massive jump made Lee the third-highest ranked South Korean player, behind Im Sung-jae (No. 23) and Kim Si-woo (No. 50). That's an important development because Lee is now in the mix for one of two South Korean spots

May 18, 2021