Lim Hee-jung is a star player on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf (KLPGA) Tour who is both skilled and popular. As a rookie in 2019, she won three majors, including the KB Financial Star Championship, and added one each in 2021 and last year. Last year’s win came at the Korean Women’s Open, giving her two of her five career victories at majors.
With such a proven track record, Lim is one of the most popular players in the sport. Fans flock to cheer her on at every tournament. She won the KLPGA Tour’s fan favorite award in 2021 and last year for the second consecutive year. The reason for her popularity is her cool and clean swing. Her swing is considered a textbook by both professional and casual golfers alike.
She finished last season ranked fifth on the money list and sixth in scoring average, and was considered a potential rival to Park Min-ji, who was dubbed “the next big thing” before the season began. This year, however, she had her toughest season to date. Her results were up and down due to physical and mental injuries, and she withdrew from the Korean Women’s Open in June when she defended her title with a sore ankle and took a month and a half off.
The after-effects of her car accident last year had not fully healed, and she combined treatment and rest, but even after returning in August, she was unable to regain her form.
Lim shot a 5-under 67 in the second round of the Sangsangin-Korea Economic TV Inaugural (1.2 billion won in prize money) on Tuesday at Lakewood Country Club’s Mulgil-Bloomgil Course (Par 72) in Yangju, Gyeonggi-do, to lead with a 12-under 132 total.
He led for the second consecutive day after the first round, signaling that he has completely broken out of his slump and is back to his old self.
It was the first time in a year and four months since last year’s Korean Women’s Open that Lim finished with a second-round lead in a four-round event. At that time, Lim raced to victory after taking the lead in the third round.
Lim, who shot a 7-under 65 the day before to set the tone for her comeback, was cautious, saying, “I don’t know yet,” but she continued her upward trajectory with six birdies today.
She had a one-stroke lead the day before, but in the second round, she extended her lead to five strokes over the second-place finisher.
Lim said, “As my body improved, I regained my senses. I healed my mental wounds by thinking as many positive thoughts as I could,” she said, “I imagined myself winning a lot. I wanted to be a player who was ready when the opportunity came.”
“I’m trying to focus on how much I can hit rather than winning,” said Lim, who made one bogey on the sixth hole (par-3) after dropping her tee shot and second shot on the day. “I’m trying to make as many birdies as possible because my goal of a no-bogey was broken,” she added.스포츠토토
“It’s best to be able to play without worrying about missing the cut,” she joked, and when asked about her winning score, she laughed, “I hope the score I hit will be the winning score.”
Even without a win, Kim Min-byul, who leads the Rookie of the Year race, is second on the Order of Merit and fifth on the money list, is two strokes back in second place (7-under par 137) heading into the third round.
Tied for third (6-under 138) are Kim Soo-ji, Hwang Yoo-min, Park Hyun-kyung, Park Bo-gyeom, Lee So-mi, and Choi Ga-bin. Meanwhile, the winner of the prize money and the grand prize, Lee Ye-won, was tied for ninth place (5-under par 139).
Bang, who earned his second win of the season at the Dongbu Construction-Korea Land Trust Championship on Sept. 15, missed the cut after shooting a 4-over-par 76 on the day.
No Responses