Korea’s “koda jame” could become a reality. After an older sister wins, a younger sister tries to win the relay with a life round.
The main character is Ko Ji-won (19-Samcheon-ri). She is the younger sister of Ko Go-woo (22-Samcheon-ri), who won the McCall-Mona Yongpyong Open. Ko made eight birdies without a bogey on the first day of the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour’s EverCollagen-DeSiena Queen’s Crown ($800,000) at The Siena Country Club (Par 72-6470) in Jeju, South Korea, on Wednesday. “It’s worth it to practice putting in the heat,” she said.
Ko, who made her regular tour debut this year, watched her older sister win the McCall-Mona Yongpyong Open, which concluded on Nov. 2. She had missed the cut and packed up early. “I was very motivated. I wanted to win too, but (seeing her do it) made me want to do it quickly. My passion burned,” smiled Ko, who added, “I putted well and shot the lowest score of my life. I want to keep this feeling until the end of the tournament.”
Ko Ji-won tees off during the first round of the KLPGA Tour’s EverCollagen-Duchesne Queen’s Crown at Douciena CC on July 13. Photo | KLPGA
It was the result of hard training in the sun the day before. “It helped that my coach gave me a one-point lesson. She told me that I felt like I was taking the putt away, so I changed my stroke to go in. I tried to use my wrists flexibly, and the results were good.” It wasn’t just his sister’s victory that inspired him to train hard in the sun. “My teammates, who I’ve known since I was a kid, were consistently doing well, so I was very motivated,” he said.
While Hwang Yoo-min (20, Lotte), Kim Min-byul (Hite Jinro), and Bang Shin-shil (KB Financial Group, 19), the “Super Rookie Trio,” have received a lot of attention, Go Ji-won has received less. “It’s because I didn’t have the grades to be noticed,” Ko Ji-won said, “I was envious of my close peers, but I want to do well and join the ranks of super rookies,” she added, drawing laughter.메이저사이트
Ko Ji-won looks back at her shot after shooting 8-under-par during the first round of the KLPGA Tour’s EverCollagen-Duchesne Queen’s Crown at Douciena CC on Wednesday. Photo | KLPGA
Jeju is Ko’s hometown. The unique Hallasan break on Jeju’s golf course makes it difficult for less experienced players. Kim Min-byul struggled, needing 36 putts on the day to finish at 5-over par. Ko Ji-won’s 8-under-par score was a remarkable feat. “Sometimes the Hallasan break looks like it’s going downhill, but it’s actually going uphill, and sometimes it looks like it’s sloping to the left, but it’s flowing to the right. I was able to putt by looking at the location of Hallasan in the yardage book,” he said.
“I feel comfortable playing in my hometown. Someone I know came to the gallery to cheer me on. It’s my first time around the course, but I think I’ll be fine as long as I play around the greens.” “Every day is different, so I don’t think about being in the lead. I’m just going to play the rest of the round the same way I always do.”
“I’m not a big fan of losing shots, but on the regular tour, the pin positions are tricky and the courses are difficult. If you lose your head, you can lose two strokes in no time. The most important thing is to play my game without making mistakes,” said Ko Ji-won, who added, “I’m going to work on my putting and then go home,” before heading to the practice green with a cheerful expression.