Lee Jeong-eun earns LPGA Tour card for 2017

Lee Jeong-eun, who will turn 30 in the New Year, will enter the field where those in their early 20s dominate. Despite dissuasion from friends, she didn't give up her dream. The average age of this year's LPGA winners is 22.3 years.

At the last round for LPGA qualifying school in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Monday, Lee reduced three hits at round 5. Hitting 10 under par and 350 hits for the five rounds, she ranked fifth securing all LPGA tour tickets for 2017 given to 20 players.

She made it after two attempts. Since debuting in 2006 at the KLPGA Tour and has since grabbed five victories, Lee made a goal to play 10 years in Korea and then another 10 years in the U.S. However, she failed at the LPGA Tour qualifying school in 2014 as she was short of two hits, and ranked just 55th last year. "I thought it was my last chance and I made it," Lee said. "I want to grab one win at next year's LPGA Tour. I will also maintain the seed next year so that I won’t have to go through qualifying school."

Lee was born in 1988, the birth year of many Korean female golf stars, including Rio Olympics gold medalist Park In-bee, Japan LPGA Tour's money queen Lee Bo-mee and runner-up Shin Ji-ae, Kim Ha-neul, Kim In-kyung, and Choi Na-yeon.

"I really wanted to enter LPGA. Though a bit late, I will learn and maintain good physical state so that I can sustain my career," Lee said. "I'm confident that I don't lag in driver shot driving distance."

Lee is the only Korean who has secured all competition qualification at the final round of qualifying school attended by 156 players.

Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com