Ahn Shi-hyun triumphs at the 30th Korea Women's Open
Golfer Ahn Shi-hyun kisses her champion trophy after winning the Kia Motors 30th Korea Women’s Open at Bear’s Best CheongNa in Incheon, Sunday. / The Korea Times File
By Kim Jeong-kyoo
Ahn Shi-hyun clinched victory at the 2016 Korea Women’s Open at the Bear’s Best CheongNa golf course in Incheon, west of Seoul, Sunday. She successfully finished the tense four-round tournament with an overall even-par score of 288.
She captured her second tour win by one stroke, brushing off Park Sung-hyun’s dogged chase. Ahn began the final round at a 3-over 219, trailing overnight leader Jung Yeon-ju by four strokes.
Ahn won a 250 million won in cash prize.
She collected birdies on the fifth, sixth and 10th holes, tying for the lead at even-par. She sent her approach shot over the green into the rough on the 15th hole. That slip inflicted a bogey on her, but made her a three-way co-leader at one-over.
At the par-4 16th hole, however, she drained a lengthy putt for a birdie to become a sole leader. At the par-3 17th hole, she missed the green, sending her ball to the rough on the right side.
But she made a brilliant chip shot close to the cup for an easy par putt. She finished her last hole with a beautiful par. After firing a 3-under 69 on Sunday, she waited in the clubhouse until Park Sung-hyun failed to overtake her.
Ahn hoisted the trophy of the 30th Women’s Open, which is sponsored by Kia Motors. She said in an interview that she wanted to give up being a pro golfer; but stressed the importance of staying patient.
A major concern was whether Jung Yeon-ju could clinch her second win or Kim Hae-rym would collect her first win. Whether Park could edge out her opponents attracted her fans’ attention. Bae Seon-woo and Cho Jeong-min finished at a 3-over 291 to tie for third.
Park, trailing overnight leader Jung by three strokes, pulled her opening tee shot into the left rough. She managed to let her ball land on the green to finish the hole with a par. She made a good start, finishing a bogey-free front nine.
She sent her second shot into the front bunker of the par-5 10th hole, but made a decent bunker shot, making a precious birdie to be a co-leader. On the 12th hole, she suffered a bogey.
Park had a golden opportunity to become co-leader on the par-4 16th. However, she failed to make a clutch putt. Standing on the par-3 17th tee, she checked the wind before picking up her club. She missed the green with a slight chance of making a birdie. She used her putter for her second stroke only to fail to birdie the hole. For a play-off, she needed a birdie on the final hole. However, she missed a lengthy putt, finishing the final hole with a par to become a sole runner-up.
Overnight leader Jung banged her first tee shot in the fairway. Kim Hae-rym starting the final round one shot behind the leader whacked her shot off the tee slightly farther. They both collected par, opening the round pleasantly.
Jung incurred her first bogey on the 6th to become a co-leader. She sent her tee shot into the left rough on the 9th hole, but managed to get her ball safely on the green. Jung suffered another bogey on the par-4 ninth hole.
On the par-5 10th hole, she hit the green with her second shot, putting her in position to make an eagle putt. She birdied the hole to become a co-leader. Her approach shot went into the front bunker of the par-4 11th hole, facing another crisis. She incurred a double bogey, throwing away her chance to capture the win.
Kim had her first hiccup on the par-4 second. She hit her approach shot into the deep rough on the left, bogeying the hole. She suffered more bogeys as time passed, throwing away her opportunity through a tendency to swing her driver too hard using brute force.
Kim Cho-hui fired a five-under 67 to finish the four-round tournament with an overall score of 297. She set the course record, with an eagle, four birdies and a bogey.
The 30th Korea Women’s Open revealed the whereabouts of Korean female golfers’ scoring abilities.
A sports commentator said the major competition taught Korean women pro golfers a good lesson. He added that they should exert themselves to learn to work the ball on purpose. The Korea Women’s Open called on players to sweat blood, mastering the skills of power draws off the tee and higher approach shots.
Also, the course called for go-to shots. Players had trouble hitting their tee shots consistently on the fairway for easy approach shots. The dry greens shook off the ball just like an untamed, wild horse.
The fast greens never welcomed the golf ball. Granted, they should learn to make dicey short putts. Without improving their playing ability to a higher level, they will rarely succeed outside Korea. It would be just by chance that they hoist the winner’s trophy abroad perhaps in the United States.
Kim Jeong-kyoo is a golf columnist for The Korea Times. He can be reached at
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