Park Hyun-kyung’s improved iron play drives three victories

Until October 29, 2023, Park Hyun-kyung was often dubbed the "runner-up specialist," a nickname she earned after finishing as a runner-up nine times over a span of two years, five months, and 27 days without a single victory. That streak ended dramatically when she claimed her first win in 910 days at the SK Networks-Seoul Economic Ladies Classic, marking her fourth career victory on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour.

"One thing I can say for sure is that my iron shots have really improved," Park said. “Even though my putting hasn’t been as sharp this season, my improved approach play has helped me perform better overall.” Indeed, Park's putting stats reflect this shift: her average putts per round improved, from 4th place in 2023 with 29.42 to place in 2024 with 29.42. Conversely, her greens in regulation saw a significant leap from 68.84% (53rd) to 78.47% (4th). This marks the first time since her KLPGA debut that Park has cracked the top 10 in greens in regulation.

Park also addressed a key adjustment in her game. “When I was nervous, I tended to pull the ball left with my iron shots,” she said. “I knew about it but struggled to correct it. During the winter training, I focused on fixing this issue, and it’s clearly paying off,...;“As my iron shots are getting better, I'm making more chances on the greens, which naturally leads to good results."

Despite her strong showing, Park fell short of adding points towards the Grand Prize after finishing tied for 13th at the Jeju Samdasu Masters, the season’s first event in the second half. Yoon I-na clinched the tournament victory, earning 70 Grand Prize points and narrowing the gap to 55 points behind Park’s total. Park will next compete at The Haven Masters on August 16, where she aims to secure another win and maintain her position in the Grand Prize race.


김정훈 기자 hun@donga.com