KLPGA starts Korean schedule

By Kang Seung-woo

The Lotte Mart Open tees off today, starting the KLPGA Tour’s local schedule for the new season.

The Korean women’s professional golf circuit opened the 2012 season in Xiamen, China in December with the Hyundai China Ladies Open, where Kim Hye-youn triumphed.

Starting with the 500 million won ($439,000) event, a total of 20 tournaments with prize money of about 13 billion won on the line will take place across the nation.

The field will feature a total of 108 golfers including defending champion Sim Hyun-hwa, Kim Ha-neul who had the most wins last season and Jung Yeon-ju, the best rookie of 2011.

The 23-year-old Kim, who last year led the pack in prize money and wins on her way to the most valuable player (MVP) award, is favored to top the five-year-old tournament.

Kim, who worked hard on her short game and bunker shots during the offseason, has picked up where she left off last year with solid performances in her recent appearances.

She tied for second at the Australian Ladies Masters, the season opener of the Ladies European Tour in February, and tied for 11th at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first major of the LPGA Tour earlier this month.

“I am looking forward to the season opener. In addition, the course for this tournament is where I missed a championship in a playoff of last season’s final competition, so I want to win this time,” Kim said in a media interview.

Reigning champion Sim, who had a breakout season last year with 10 top-10 finishes, is seeking to defend her title.

“As I am the defending champion and this is the first tournament in Korea, I am more focused,” Sim said.

“I am confident of a repeat.”

Grace Park, a six-time winner on the U.S. tour, will make her KLPGA debut. The 33-year-old, who has made few headlines of late due to injuries, is expected to be thrust into the spotlight by local fans, who want her to show her pedigree. Park is just one of the two Korean golfers to claim the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

The winner of the tournament will be rewarded with a place at next year’s LPGA Lotte Championship.