Inbee Park has won 19 times on the LPGA Tour, including seven major championships, captured Olympic gold and became a member of the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. And yet, she is still finding new ways to challenge herself.
Sunday, Park won for the first time on the KLPGA at the Doosan Match Play Championship, where she outlasted the 64-player field to capture her second worldwide win of 2018. Over the last decade, Park has competed in 20 Tournaments on the KLPGA without a single victory. Park said she felt less pressure competing at home.
“Many fans were rooting for me and this win was one way to give them some love back,” Park told LPGA.com after her win. “Another thing that is so good about the KLPGA is that I don’t need to travel so much and being back with family was great.”
In Sunday’s final match, Park defeated third year KLPGA member Ah Lim Kim, who is currently ranked third on the KLPGA’s money list. Park, who is one of the premiere putters on the LPGA Tour, rolled in long birdie putts late in the match. The Hall of Famer drained a 13-footer at the par 3, 13th hole and another at the par 5, 15th hole, where a critical three-putt bogey by Kim gave Park a 2 UP lead. But Park kept the match close. At the par 3, 16th hole she missed the green with her tee shot and was unable to convert a 9-footer to save par, which dropped her lead to 1 UP with two to play. Park parred her final two holes to win the match.
“Greens were in perfect shape and I was able to roll the ball really well this week,” said Park.
The two-time U.S. Women’s Open champion makes her next start on the LPGA Tour at Shoal Creek, the site of this year’s U.S. Women’s Open.
“I got some great confidence over this week,” said Park. “I am sure this week’s experience will help so much going into major tournaments back in the U.S.”
Title sponsor Doosan is a construction company based in Korea who displayed their heavy machinery around the course. The world No. 1 hopped in the driver’s seat and posed with the trophy alongside the equipment.
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