Finished 2nd in her first domestic major! The Sexy Queen of Korean Women’s Golf Reveals “Two Evolutions Behind Her Rapid Advance”!
Park Gyeol (27), one of the most popular golfers on the tour, finished in a tie for second place with a total score of 9-under par.
He tied for the lead on the first day and was the sole leader on the second day, raising expectations for a major championship, but he narrowly missed out on the win. Nevertheless, he showed his great strength by not hitting a single over-par shot over the four days. After four domestic tournaments, she is ranked 11th in the money list and is close to reaching her goal of breaking into the top 10.
Park Gyeol is so good-looking that she has been called the “Barbie doll of Korean women’s golf. In addition to her return to the seeded list for the first time in two years, she has been selected as a “KLPGA PR Model” for the first time in three years, the “face” of women’s golf in Korea. In such a situation, her second-place finish in a major tournament with a difficult course setting must have given her a lot of confidence for her future games.
There are two major factors behind her strong performance. The first is that he has made a fresh start with his main sponsor, clubs, clothes, and even caddies. By changing the people and environment involved, he seems to be able to play with a refreshed mind.
The other is the technical side. Park Gyeol himself once said in an interview
“I did a lot of physical training during the winter, and my driver distance has improved a lot compared to two years ago. Driving distance was always a stress, but now I am making an effort not to get stress from it. I hit every tee shot as hard as I can.”
As he says, he finally has the power to compete on the regular tour. This has enabled him to aim for the greens from the second shot, which has helped him to keep his scores in line.
In addition to his power, he has also gained confidence in his highly accurate iron shots. In fact, he himself expressed his satisfaction at the post-match press conference as follows: “Last year, I struggled with my iron shots.
“I struggled with my iron shots last year, but I practiced a lot in the off-season. Now my iron shots are hitting the pins and I am able to hit them in the direction I am aiming, so I feel like my practice has paid off.”
Although she narrowly missed out on the victory this time, expectations for her second win on the tour this season, her first in five years, have risen dramatically. Many golf fans are eagerly awaiting Park Gyeol’s spectacular comeback.
Interview & Writing: Myung-Woo Kim PHOTO: MHN Sports KLPGA