Yoon I-na aims to win LPGA Rookie and become world No. 1

“I will thoroughly prepare for my first LPGA season, which I have long dreamed of, and strive for the Rookie of the Year Award.”

South Korean golfer Yoon I-na showed her determination to become next year’s rookie star before her LPGA debut at a press conference held in Lunamiele Convention Hall, Yeongdeungpo District, central Seoul on Thursday. She earned her 2025 LPGA Tour card by solely finishing 8th with a 15-under-par 343 total over five rounds at the final stage of the LPGA Qualifying (Q) Series, which ended on Dec. 11 with a total of 25 final players granted their cards.

The 21-year-old swept three major individual titles - the 2024 KLPGA Tour Player of the Year, the Money Title (1.21141 billion won), and the Player with the Lowest Scoring Average (70.05) – by recording one win, four runner-up finishes, and 14 top-10s in 25 events this season. Her driving distance averaged 255 yards, ranking second in the league. Although she had her most successful season in her home country this season, Yoon failed to lead among the 25 finalists in the Q Series, where she competed with other players from all over the world. Asked who will compete with her for the Rookie of the Year Award, she said that it would be hard to choose among many other outstanding players waiting to play against her next year, adding, “My biggest competition is myself. If I overcome laziness and get better every day, I will get closer to the Rookie of the Year.” From Pak Se-ri in 1998 to Yoo Hae-ran last year, 14 South Korean women became the Rookie of the Year in the LPGA Tour.

Yoon is scheduled to leave for Dallas, Texas to join training sessions on Jan. 19 next year. Her prospective LPGA Tour debut will likely be made at the LPGA Founders Cup, which is set to open on Feb. 6 next year (local time). She said that she would focus on improving her short-game skills to successfully adapt to the U.S. stage. “Joining the Q Series taught me why the short game matters,” she said, adding that it requires her to harness various techniques to get the ball near the pin on the local grass, which is quite different from South Korea.

Yoon was suspended from competition by the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) for three years in September 2022 for playing the wrong ball in June of that year at the Korea Women’s Open. Prior to the beginning of this season, the disciplinary measure was reduced to one and a half years, allowing her to make a comeback through the Doosan E&C We've Championship, a domestic season opener held in April. Meanwhile, there are some disapproving views in the South Korean golf community over this KLPGA rising star’s decision to move to the United States just one season after the suspension was mitigated.

“I have had a happy year with my local fans. It makes me sad that I would have fewer opportunities to play in my home country after moving to the United States,” she said. “However, I thought my fans would be happy to see me growing over the LPGA Tour.”

At the press conference, she promised to donate 200 million won – 100 million won each to the Korea Golf Association (KGA) and the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) – for young golfers. “Helping my juniors is one of the things I can do to help promote golf,” Yoon said. “I hope to see young players pursue their dreams in challenging situations.”


Yun-Cheol Jeong trigger@donga.com