Tears welled up in the eyes of Choi Eun-woo (28), who was calm before the final par putt and even when the championship was finally decided. The 23rd was Choi Eun-woo’s father’s birthday. He was suddenly speechless at the reporter’s request to say something to his father. The sadness of not being able to win the championship for 9 years and 210 competitions was soaked in tears.
Choi Eun-woo said, “I am so grateful to have been born as my father’s daughter. Thank you for supporting me for 9 years even though I did not win the championship. I sincerely congratulate you on your birthday.”
To describe the 2023 Korean Women’s Professional Golf (KLPGA) domestic tournament in one word, it is an unknown rebellion. In the opening match of the last domestic competition, Lee Joo-mi won. Lee Joo-mi won her 148th competition. But this time it is 60 times longer than that.
Ahn Song-i’s first win in the 237th tournament in November 2019 is the longest record, and Choi Eun-woo’s second record. Park So-yeon (167 competitions in May 2019) and Yoon Chae-young (157 competitions in July 2014) are the next record holders. It means that he lived a long life in obscurity. Choi Eun-woo, who spent his junior years in Australia, entered the KLPGA Tour through the Dream Tour, but the 30th place in the prize money rankings in 2018 was the best season. Even last year, his money ranking was only 34th. In 2016, he earned the right to participate in the KLPGA regular tour on the Dream Tour. He finished in the top 10 19 times and in the top 5 7 times. 먹튀검증
In the final round of the Nexen/Saint Nine Masters of the KLPGA Tour held at Shineo/Nakdong Course (par 72) at Gimhae Gaya Country Club in Gyeongsangnam-do that day, Choi Eun-woo shot a 6 under par 66 to reach the top with a total of 9 under par 207 during the third round. Choi Eun-woo, who edged Koji-woo by one stroke, won for the first time since his 2015 debut. The prize money for winning this tournament is 144 million won.
Choi Eun-woo finished the second round in a tie for 4th place, 4 strokes behind leader Lee So-mi, and hit the 3rd round. But on this day, the putting was particularly good. Choi Eun-woo, who started the pursuit with consecutive birdies on the 6th and 7th holes, jumped into the championship competition in earnest with a birdie on the 9th hole (par 4). Choi Eun-woo, who tied for the lead with consecutive birdies on the 13th and 14th holes, took the lead by one stroke with a birdie on the 16th hole (par 5), and continued to win the championship.
Choi Eun-woo was a player with clear strengths and weaknesses as his ball skills were long. In particular, he showed weakness in putting. Choi Eun-woo said, “The part I was lacking in was the putter, and I knew it well. I changed a lot of equipment and took lessons, and put a lot of effort. I put a lot of effort by focusing on putting. The putting I wanted to do went well, and that led to grades. He did not hide that stable putting was the driving force behind winning this tournament.
Meanwhile, Lee So-mi, the ‘Queen of the Wind’, who had been in the lead the previous day, missed the last par putt and finished tied for 3rd place. Ko Ji-woo pursued Choi Eun-woo until the end, but missed the championship by only one stroke. Lee So-mi, who had been in the lead until the previous day, was sluggish with a 1-over-par 73 in the final round, and was pushed back to a tie for 3rd place (6-under 210 strokes). Kim Soo-ji, who hit an even par 72, also finished the tournament in a tie for third place with Lee So-mi. Lim Hee-jung, Lee Da-yeon, and Kim Min-byeol tied for 5th place (4 under par, 212 strokes).