Erika Hara Shines with Beautiful Play and Smile in Major Tournaments During First Korean Golf Appearance

It would not be an exaggeration to say that her first challenge on the Korean Tour was a great success.

Erika Hara (25), who made her debut in the major Korean Women’s Professional Golf (KLPGA) Tour event, the Hanwha Classic (held August 22-25), finished tied for 31st with a total score of 1-over par over the four days.

In addition to Hara, other Japanese players including Shina Kanazawa, Sora Kamiya, and amateur Mamika Shinchi also received invitations to participate. However, Hara’s popularity was unmatched. On the day before the tournament, she was invited to the official press conference alongside players from the tournament’s sponsor and prominent Korean Tour players. Korean media also introduced her with phrases such as:

“Standing at 173 cm tall, she has one of the top visuals on the Japanese Tour”

“Among her five career wins on the Japanese Tour, three are major victories showing her ‘competitive strength'”

Thus, her first landing in Korea was highly anticipated even before the tournament began.

 

“Divine Response” Shown to Fans

As the first day began, many photographers rushed to Hara’s group. Hara seemed aware of the high level of attention, and at the first hole, she didn’t forget to provide fan service, smiling for a commemorative photo after her tee shot.

Hara excited the audience with her beautiful play, moving up to 9th place by the end of the second day. Although she faltered on the final day with three birdies and six bogeys, she reflected on the tour with a smile after finishing the competition.

“The passionate support from Korean golf fans was very impressive and refreshing. It was fun to have fans cheering for me by name. I also got closer to the Korean players, particularly Yoon Ina, with whom I played during the first and second rounds. If given the chance, I would like to challenge the Korean Tour again.”

 

 

This season, Hara has participated in 19 events on the Japanese Tour, ranking 25th in the Mercedes Ranking and 30th in the money list. While these are not poor results, she is likely aware that they are not exceptional either.

Nevertheless, her form has been improving, with a solo third place at the Shiseido Ladies in June, a tied sixth place at the Minebea Mitsumi Ladies Hokkaido Newspaper Cup in July, and a tied 10th place at the NEC Karuizawa 72 in August. She has made three top-10 finishes in her last five tournaments. Feeling this positive momentum, she unexpectedly received an invitation to participate in the Scottish Women’s Open on the U.S. Women’s Tour in mid-August, an event she had not originally planned to join. Amidst these developments, she saw the Korean major as an opportunity to gain diverse experiences.

Maintaining her good form, Hara made a strong start at the Golf 5 Ladies, held domestically, which concluded on September 1. She started with a solid 68, featuring six birdies and two bogeys, placing her tied for 4th. She finished the tournament tied for 8th, marking her fifth top-10 finish of the season.

In the post-tournament press conference, Hara discussed the key factors behind her strong performance:

“I’ve become more confident in swinging my tee shots. I’ve been focusing on maintaining stability and perseverance in my stance.”

Although her average driving distance has decreased by about five yards compared to last year, her iron shots have shown sharpness, and her par-save rate and average number of birdies have improved. Notably, her average score on par-3 holes has risen significantly from 57th among all players last year to 8th this year. If her powerful tee shots return to their former strength, further progress in rankings is anticipated.

Hara has confirmed her intention to participate in the U.S. Women’s Tour Q School (qualifying tournament) scheduled for the end of the year. She aims to continue her upward trajectory, making a strong finish to the Japanese Tour season and setting herself up for success in the U.S. Tour qualifiers.