On day three, the conditions at the Korean Ladies Masters were as tough as they had been all week.  Thunderstorms interrupted the festivities several times, high winds made picking clubs challenging, and consistent rain made for an unpleasant experience.  Hee Kyung Seo was trying to defend her title and collect her fifth win of the year.  A victory here would probably secure her even more: the Player of the Year crown.  A lot was on the line for the tour’s biggest superstar.

Hee Kyung Seo

Meanwhile, So Yeon Ryu started the day four shots back, and even that position was thanks to an excellent 69 the day before.  She had started the week with a terrible 76 that seemed to put her out of the tournament, eight shots behind the leader.  But after Saturday, she was only four back, and on Sunday, despite the rotten conditions, she continued to maintain her cool, making par after par to slowly creep up the leaderboard.  She made one bogey on 7 to fall to 2 over, but through the first 13 holes was still only one over par on the day, which kept her four shots back, but much closer to the top of the leaderboard as players fell by the wayside. 

So Yeon Ryu

One of the round’s victims was rookie star Soo Jin Yang.  Yang was a co-leader coming into the day, but starting on nine, she jumped on the bogey train and could not get off.  She made seven straight bogies to plunge right out of the tournament.  She finished tied for 13th.  That was still ahead of her chief rookie foe Shin Ae Ahn, who finished tied for 23rd, but not good enough to conclusively settle who would be the year’s top rookie.

Soo Jin Yang

The other players who were clinging to the top of the leaderboard were Hyun Ji Kim, Sarah Lee and Hee Kyung Seo, but bit by bit they all slipped as well.  Seo actually managed to finish the front nine one under par, but had bogies on 10, 11 and 13 to fall to even par.  Lee also fell to even with bogies early on the back nine.  That left just Hyun Ji Kim as the only player under par at one under following two bogies at 12 and 14.

Hee Kyung Seo

Ryu, meanwhile, continued her great play.  She birdied the par 5 14th to move back to one over par, now just two shots out of the lead.  When she birdied 17, she moved to even, just one shot back.  She then finished her round with another birdie on 18 to shoot a sensational 70, the low round of the day.  That left her sitting on the clubhouse lead at one under par.

So Yeon Ryu

So now there were just a few golfers who could catch her.  Hyun Ji Kim made bogey on 17 to give the lead to Ryu all by herself, but made birdie on 18 after stiffing her iron to a foot to return to 1 under and join Ryu in the clubhouse at that level.  Sarah Lee also birdied 18 to get to 1 under. 

Sarah Lee

But now it was Hee Kyung Seo’s turn.  Seo had clawed her way to even par, and so needed one more birdie to join the others.  But her birdie putt did not fall on 17, and her ten footer on 18 also just slid by the hole.  She would have to settle for a tie for 4th, a good paycheck for the week but certainly not what she was hoping for.  A win by Ryu, which seemed possible, would definitely leave the KLPGA season ending awards up in the air another week.

Hee Kyung stayed in good spirits despite the weather

On the first playoff hole, Lee, Ryu and Kim played the par 5 18th again.  Both Ryu and Kim made birdie, but Lee did not and was eliminated.  However, the action was halted due to darkness, and the result would have to wait until Monday at 8 am, when play would resume.  Can Ryu get her fifth win of the year and put herself back in control for the Player of the Year?  One more day will tell the tale!!

Hyun Ji Kim

Scores:
1. So Yeon Ryu 76-69-70 -1
Hyun Ji Kim 69-73-73 -1
Sarah Lee 69-72-74 -1*
4. Hee Kyung Seo 68-74-74 Even
5. Anna Rawson 69-74-74 +1
R. Coakley 72-72-73 +1
Sea Young Kim (A) 73-72-72 +1

* Lost in first hole of playoff

Notables:
8. Jung Eun Lee 5 74-70-74 +2
9. Sung Ah Yim 75-69-75 +3
Ae Ri Pyun 70-73-76 +3
Jeong Eun Han (A) 71-71-77 +3
13. Bo Mee Lee 69-76-75 +4
Bo Kyung Kim 71-71-78 +4
Soo Jin Yang (R) 70-71-79 +4
23. Jin Joo Hong 73-75-74 +6
Shin Ae Ahn (R) 71-76-75 +6
27. Joo Mi Kim 74-75-74 +7
Minea Blomquist 72-73-78 +7
Frances Bondad 72-74-77 +7
31. Il Mi Chung 74-74-76 +8
34. Becky Brewerton 73-73-79 +9
Ran Hong 73-75-77 +9
37. Ji Na Lim 74-77-75 +10
Ha Neul Kim 73-76-77 +10
HJ Choi 75-74-77 +10
Hyun Hee Moon 70-76-80 +10
46. Bo Mi Suh 76-74-77 +11
Julieta Granada 75-75-77 +11
Seon Hwa Lee 2 (R) 77-73-77 +11
Aram Cho 71-78-78 +11
53. He Yong Choi 72-77-79 +12
55. Iben Tinning 72-79-78 +13
62. 59. Hye In Lee 77-75-79 +15

Missed Cut:
75. Young Kim 76-78 +10
Gwladys Nocera 76-78 +10

KLPGA superstar Hee Kyung Seo started Round 2 all by herself in the lead, and for a while, things went pretty well for her.  As on day one, the conditions were windy and tough, but Seo played her first nine holes in even par, with a pair of bogies and a pair of birdies, to maintain a share of the lead.

But on the back nine, she hit a rough stretch.  She went double bogey-bogey-bogey starting at hole 11 to almost drop out of the top ten entirely.  After that she made two birdies to climb back to 2 under, which wound up being good enough for a tie for third, just one shot out of the lead.  So, for the moment at least, she is still very much in the picture.

Hee Kyung Seo

When Seo had her mini-meltdown, the player who benefitted the most is another player who is known for her model-like looks; in fact, this woman even works occasionally as a model:  Anna Rawson.  Rawson in fact had the lead through twelve holes, but she had her own meltdown after that.  She bogied her final four holes, largely thanks to poor putting as a result of the cold.  She wound up in 7th place at -1.

The leaders after the second day were two Korean players with very different career paths to date.  One of them was veteran LPGA player Sarah Lee.  The 31 year old shot an even par 72 to remain at 3 under.  The other player was 18 year old Soo Jin Yang, who is trying to become rookie of the year on the KLPGA.  She shot a 71.  Yang’s primary rookie rival, Shin Ae Ahn, struggled on day two, shooting a 76 to wind up tied for 25th.  A win by Yang might be enough to give her the coveted Rookie title.

Soo Jin Yang

Among other notable moves on day two, KLPGA star So Yeon Ryu started the day eight shots out of the lead, but posted a 69 to move to within four.  She is definitely not out of this thing, and if she rallies on Sunday, she could potentially put the heat on Seo for the Player of the Year and Money List titles.  Sung Ah Yim also shot a 69 to move into the top ten.

One more day — will Hee Kyung Seo get the first title defense of her career?

Scores:
1. Sarah Lee 69-72 -3
Soo Jin Yang (R) 70-71 -3
3. Bo Kyung Kim 71-71 -2
Hee Kyung Seo 68-74 -2
Hyun Ji Kim 69-73 -2
Jeong Eun Han (A) 71-71 -2

Notables:
7. Ae Ri Pyun 70-73 -1
Anna Rawson 69-74 -1
9. Sung Ah Yim 75-69 Even
Jung Eun Lee 5 74-70 Even
14. So Yeon Ryu 76-69 +1
Minea Blomquist 72-73 +1
Bo Mee Lee 69-76 +1
19. Frances Bondad 72-74 +2
Hyun Hee Moon 70-76 +2
Becky Brewerton 73-73 +2
25. Shin Ae Ahn (R) 71-76 +3
28. Ran Hong 73-75 +4
Il Mi Chung 74-74 +4
Jin Joo Hong 73-75 +4
35. Joo Mi Kim 74-75 +5
He Yong Choi 72-77 +5
HJ Choi 75-74 +5
Ha Neul Kim 73-76 +5
Aram Cho 71-78 +5
45. Seon Hwa Lee 2 (R) 77-73 +6
Julieta Granada 75-75 +6
Bo Mi Suh 76-74 +6
54. Ji Na Lim 74-77 +7
Iben Tinning 72-79 +7
59. Hye In Lee 77-75 +8
75. Young Kim 76-78 +10
Gwladys Nocera 76-78 +10

This week the KLPGA hosts the second to last event on the season’s schedule, and it’s another cosanctioned event.  Last week they shared the bill with the LPGA, at the Kolon Hana Bank Championship (an event that includes KLPGA golfers but is not a full fledged KLPGA event, as the money earned there does not count towards official KLPGA money).  This week’s event is the second playing of an event co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour.  It is sponsored this season by Daishin Securities, and has the unwieldy name the Daishin Securities Tomato Tour Korean Ladies Masters.

The defending champion is Hee Kyung Seo, who won last year by reeling off four birdies to finish her final round, catching fellow KLPGA star Sun Ju Ahn in the process.  At the time Seo had four wins on the season.  This year, she once again enters this event with four wins for the year, looking for her fifth.  But this time there is more at stake: a win here could go a long way towards helping her clinch Player of the Year and the money list lead for the first time in her career.

To win, of course, Seo would not only have to go through her top KLPGA rivals like So Yeon Ryu (with whom she would play in the first round), but several notable LPGA Koreans such as Young Kim and Joo Mi Kim, as well as many of the top stars from the Ladies European Tour, including tour leader Becky Brewerton, her other playing partner in round one.

So Yeon Ryu, Becky Brewerton and Hee Kyung Seo

Well, Hee Kyung got out to the kind of start she was looking for.  She shot a five birdie, one bogey 68 to take over the lead at 4 under total.  And she did that despite playing the afternoon and facing the tougher conditions.  Ryu did not do so well.  Struggling with her putting, she shot a 4 over 76 and is in a tough position to try to challenge her arch rival.

Hee Kyung Seo

Hee Kyung Seo

Among those finishing at 3 under are Anna Rawson, the only non-Korean in the top ten after round one, and 2009 tour winner  Bo Mee Lee.

Bo Mee Lee

Another race that is coming close to its end is the Rookie of the Year battle.  The top two rookies on tour both had good starts to their week.  Soo Jin Yang shot a 70 and is tied for 6th, while Shin Ae Ahn is one stroke behind her, tied for 11th.

Two more rounds will settle it!

Scores:
1. Hee Kyung Seo 68 -4
2. Sarah Lee 69 -3
Hyun Ji Kim 69 -3
Anna Rawson 69 -3
Bo Mee Lee 69 -3

Notables:
6. Ae Ri Pyun 70 -2
Hyun Hee Moon 70 -2
Soo Jin Yang (R) 70 -2
11. Bo Kyung Kim 71 -1
Shin Ae Ahn (R) 71 -1
Aram Cho 71 -1
15. Minea Blomquist 72 Even
Frances Bondad 72 Even
Iben Tinning 72 Even
He Yong Choi 72 Even
23. Ha Neul Kim 73 +1
Ran Hong 73 +1
Jin Joo Hong 73 +1
Becky Brewerton 73 +1
34. Joo Mi Kim 74 +2
Ji Na Lim 74 +2
Il Mi Chung 74 +2
Jung Eun Lee 5 74 +2
47. Sung Ah Yim 75 +3
HJ Choi 75 +3
57. Young Kim 76 +4
Gwladys Nocera 76 +4
So Yeon Ryu 76 +4
69. Hye In Lee 77 +5
Seon Hwa Lee 2 (R) 77 +5

For three rounds, teen amateur star Hana Jang held onto a slim lead in the KLPGA’s final Major tournament, the KB Star Tour Grand Finale.  She managed this feat despite being hotly trailed by the top player on the KLPGA tour, Hee Kyung Seo.  During the fourth round, the two would be matched together for the second straight day, and Jang would once again have to use all her skills to try to hold off the professional star.

Jang and Seo

Meanwhile, the top money earner on the KLPGA, So Yeon Ryu, had worked her way to third on the leaderboard, but she would have to make up five shots to claim her first Major title.

For Ryu, that Major would have to wait until another day.  She played well on the day, carding a 2 under 70, but it would not be nearly enough to catch the leaders.  In the end she finished a respectable tied for fourth with another KLPGA star, Ha Neul Kim, who shot a 66 to arrive at that score.

So Yeon Ryu

This event was responsible last year for settling the Rookie of the Year race.  Coming into this event in 2008, So Yeon Ryu held a slim lead over He Yong Choi in that race, but Ryu was DQed following a rules infraction and Choi shot a blistering 64 on the final day to finish second.  Choi overtook Ryu in the ROY standings and went on to win that title.

This year, the Rookie race has featured several interesting players, but the most notable have been Soo Jin Yang, a 17 year old powerhouse, and teenage Shin Ae Ahn.  Ahn was well ahead of Yang going into the final round, but struggled to a 74 on this day.  Meanwhile, Yang produced the round of the day, a blistering 65, and finished tied for tenth.  Will this be the round that determines who wins the Rookie prize this year?  Stay tuned.

The tournament title, meanwhile, came down to Jang and Seo, much as it had looked like it would.  Seo gave Jang something to think about by starting her round with three straight birdies to take a two shot lead right out of the gate.  The lead stayed that way through the first nine holes.

Hee Kyung Seo

Jang moved to within one shot with a birdie on ten, but immediately bogied 11 to give it back.  Neither player made any more progress until the 16th hole.  There, Jang drained a birdie, and left Seo facing a tricky par save to maintain her share of the lead.  Alas, Seo missed it, and the two shot swing gave Jang a share of the lead for the first time since the start of the day.

Hana Jang

But true champions find a way, and on the next hole Seo drained a birdie putt to once again take the lead by a shot.  Both players parred 18, and Hee Kyung Seo claimed her third Major title of the year.  Jang would have to settle for her second top three in the past two Majors, an amazing accomplishment for an amateur.

Hee Kyung Seo

Congratulations to Hee Kyung Seo on claiming her fourth win of the year.  She now is the inside favorite for Player of the Year and money list winner, and may still have some more records to set before the year is out!

Hee Kyung Seo

Scores:
1. Hee Kyung Seo 69-66-68-69 -16
2. Hana Jang (A) 66-68-68-71 -15
3. Anna Oh 70-71-67-68 -12
4. So Yeon Ryu 71-69-67-70 -11
Ha Neul Kim 68-72-71-66 -11

Notables:
7. Hyun Hee Moon 72-67-71-69 -9
8. He Yong Choi 69-71-72-68 -8
Bo Mee Lee 69-69-70-72 -8
10. Soo Jin Yang (R) 69-73-74-65 -7
13. Shin Ae Ahn (R) 67-72-69-74 -6
Min Ji Nam 70-68-73-71 -6
17. Il Hee Lee 73-71-70-70 -5
20. Ran Hong 74-70-72-68 -4
24. Bo Kyung Kim 70-69-73-72 -4
26. Soo Young Moon 69-72-73-72 -2
HJ Choi 75-70-70-71 -2
Young Ran Jo 70-69-72-75 -2
30. Jung Eun Lee 5 75-70-72-70 -1
34. Hyo Joo Kim (A) 69-74-74-71 Even
41. Sun Ju Ahn 72-74-70-73 +1
Inbee Park 72-73-71-73 +1
53. Kyeong Bae 72-71-76-74 +5
Hye In Lee 72-72-74-75 +5

Missed Cut:
Ji Na Lim 73-75 +4
Bobea Park 78-70 +4
Aram Cho 76-73 +5
Seon Hwa Lee 2 (R) 73-76 +5

Amateur Hana Jang has held onto a tenuous lead for the first two rounds of this tournament.  However, round three would be her biggest challenge yet.  For the first time, she would be playing with the KLPGA’s top gun, Hee Kyung Seo, who trailed her by just a single shot as the day began.  This would truly be a trial by fire for the teenage star.

Hee Kyung Seo and (blurry) Hana Jang

The rest of the field was at least three shots behind Seo, but one superstar made a huge run at the top two in order to position herself for Sunday.  That player was So Yeon Ryu.  Ryu, herself only 19, has been in a pitched battle with Seo most of the year for Player of the Year honors on tour.  Perhaps sensing that she needed to challenge Seo this week if she wanted to keep herself in the running for that year end honor, Ryu floored it on Saturday.  She made 4 birdies on the front nine to move to 8 under and solo third.  She made two more birdies and a bogey to finish the day with a 67 and 9 under total.  Would it be good enough?

So Yeon Ryu in round one

Well, Seo played brilliantly herself on the front nine.  Putting as much pressure on Jang as she could, she also made four birdies to move to 13 under.  Jang played well, making two birdies, but fell behind Seo by a shot by the turn.

Hee Kyung Seo

But Seo cooled off on the back nine, making par after par.  Jang drained a birdie at 14 to tie her at 13 under, then Seo blinked, making her lone bogey of the day on 16 to fall behind.  Both players made birdie on 18, so Jang finished for the third straight day with a one shot lead, this time at 14 under.  Seo finished at 13 under.

Hana Jang

So after all of Ryu’s efforts, she only gained one shot on the two leaders!  Jang will play with Seo on Sunday, trying to win a Major title as an amateur.  Seo will try to become only the second player ever to win three Majors in a single season, while Ryu will somehow try to rally from way back to grab her first career Major.  Round 4 could well be the pivotal round of the year on tour!  Stay tuned!

Scores:
1. Hana Jang (A) 66-68-68 -14
2. Hee Kyung Seo 69-66-68 -13
3. So Yeon Ryu 71-69-67 -9
4. Anna Oh 70-71-67 -8
Bo Mee Lee 69-69-70 -8
Shin Ae Ahn (R) 67-72-69 -8

Notables:
9. Hyun Hee Moon 72-67-71 -6
10. Ha Neul Kim 68-72-71 -5
Min Ji Nam 70-68-73 -5
Young Ran Jo 70-69-72 -5
14. Bo Kyung Kim 70-69-73 -4
He Yong Choi 69-71-72 -4
19. Il Hee Lee 73-71-70 -3
22. Soo Young Moon 69-72-73 -2
26. HJ Choi 75-70-70 -1
34. Sun Ju Ahn 72-74-70 Even
Inbee Park 72-73-71 Even
Soo Jin Yang (R) 69-73-74 Even
Ran Hong 74-70-72 Even
38. Jung Eun Lee 5 75-70-72 +1
Hyo Joo Kim (A) 69-74-74 +1
47. Hye In Lee 72-72-74 +2
50. Kyeong Bae 72-71-76 +3

Missed Cut:
Ji Na Lim 73-75 +4
Bobea Park 78-70 +4
Aram Cho 76-73 +5
Seon Hwa Lee 2 (R) 73-76 +5

Amateur Hana Jang has had a great run in her last two professional events.  After notching a 3rd place finish in her last start, at the Hite Cup, she started this week’s event by capturing the solo lead.

Jang continued with her brilliance in round 2, if anything solidifying her position over the field.  She shot a 4 under par 68 to zoom to 10 under and maintain her lead.  That was a four shot lead over every other player in the field, except one…

Hana Jang

Unfortunately for Jang, that one player who is still close is also the top player on the KLPGA tour, Hee Kyung Seo.  Seo has a lot on the line this week.  If she wins here, she will become only the second player in history to win three KLPGA Majors in a single year.  The other player?  Jiyai Shin, who is currently the #2 player in the world (and whom Seo beat last week at the previous Major).  Seo shot a flawless 6 under 66, no bogies, six birdies, to move to 9 under, just a shot behind Jang.  The heat will certainly be on the teen amateur if she is going to win this weekend.

Hee Kyung Seo

Among the other top KLPGA stars in the field, So Yeon Ryu moved to 12th thanks to a 69, and now sits at 4 under, six shots back.  Tied with her at that position are Ha Neul Kim and He Yong Choi.  Sun Ju Ahn, however, is struggling after shooting a 74 in round two.

The top LPGA player in the field is Kyeong Bae, who produced a 71 to move to 1 under total.  Inbee Park is at 1 over.

Two more rounds to go; this is shaping up to be a classic!

Scores:
1. Hana Jang (A) 66-68 -10
2. Hee Kyung Seo 69-66 -9
3. Hye Ji Kim 72-66 -6
Min Ji Nam 70-68 -6
Yuna Park 67-71 -6
Bo Mee Lee 69-69 -6

Notables:
7. Hyun Hee Moon 72-67 -5
Bo Kyung Kim 70-69 -5
Young Ran Jo 70-69 -5
Shin Ae Ahn (R) 67-72 -5
12. He Yong Choi 69-71 -4
Ha Neul Kim 68-72 -4
So Yeon Ryu 71-69 -4
17. Soo Young Moon 69-72 -3
21. Soo Jin Yang (R) 69-73 -2
23. Il Hee Lee 73-71 -1
Hyo Joo Kim (A) 69-74 -1
Kyeong Bae 72-71 -1
36. Hye In Lee 72-72 Even
Ran Hong 74-70 Even
45. HJ Choi 75-70 +1
Jung Eun Lee 5 75-70 +1
Inbee Park 72-73 +1
55. Sun Ju Ahn 72-74 +2
65. Ji Na Lim 73-75 +4
Bobea Park 78-70 +4
74. Aram Cho 76-73 +5
Seon Hwa Lee 2 (R) 73-76 +5

This week’s KLPGA event is the third and final KB Star Tour event of the year, and also the final Major of the season.  Hee Kyung Seo has won two of the three Majors on tour this year and is looking to add a third to her resume.  If she does it, she will capture a huge lead in the Player of the Year standings with just a few events to go.  Meanwhile, several LPGA stars are guest starring, including Inbee Park.  Also in the field are several amateur stars, including the two ladies who made a splash last week, Hana Jang and Hyo Joo Kim.

Hee Kyung Seo

Well, don’t look now, but Hana Jang is at it again!  The teenage prodigy notched an impressive third place finish at last week’s Major, the Hite Cup.  This week she started with a 6 under par 66, consisting of seven birdies and a lone bogey, to capture the first round lead.  14 year old Hyo Joo Kim didn’t do too badly, either; she shot a 69 and is tied for fifth at the moment.  Could we see an amateur capture the crown?

Hana Jang

Hee Kyung Seo had a solid start to her week, shooting a 69 of her own, while her arch rival So Yeon Ryu shot a 71.  Seo’s fellow Supermodel of the Fairway, Ha Neul Kim, shot a 68 and is in fourth place at the moment.

Hee Kyung Seo and So Yeon Ryu

The Rookie of the Year race is also heating up, with two of the top contenders both doing well in round one.  Shin Ae Ahn shot a 67 and is one shot behind Jang, while Soo Jin Yang shot a 69.

Top rookies Soo Jin Yang and Shin Ae Ahn

Meanwhile, the LPGA players in the field didn’t do quite as well, although Inbee Park and Kyeong Bae both shot even par rounds and now sit six shots behind Jang.

This one’s a four rounder, so we have a lot of action to go before the tournament is over!

Scores:
1. Hana Jang (A) 66 -6
2. Shin Ae Ahn (R) 67 -5
Yuna Park 67 -5
4. Ha Neul Kim 68 -4
5. Sul Ah Yoon 69 -3
Eun Kyung Lee 69 -3
Hee Kyung Seo 69 -3
Soo Young Moon 69 -3
Soo Jin Yang (R) 69 -3
Hyo Joo Kim (A) 69 -3
He Yong Choi 69 -3
Ye Song Lee 69 -3
Bo Mee Lee 69 -3

Notables:
14. Bo Kyung Kim 70 -2
Young Ran Jo 70 -2
24. So Yeon Ryu 71 -1
32. Inbee Park 72 Even
Hye In Lee 72 Even
Kyeong Bae 72 Even
Sun Ju Ahn 72 Even
Hyun Hee Moon 72 Even
47. Il Hee Lee 73 +1
Seon Hwa Lee 2 (R) 73 +1
Ji Na Lim 73 +1
62. Ran Hong 74 +2
72. HJ Choi 75 +3
Jung Eun Lee 5 75 +3
82. Aram Cho 76 +4
90. Bobea Park 78 +6

Going into the final round of the Hite Cup, two glamorous KLPGA stars, Hee Kyung Seo and Ran Hong, were tied for the lead, while top JLPGA Korean Mi Jeong Jeon was just a shot back.  Na Yeon Choi, a recent winner on the LPGA tour, was three shots back.  The defending champion Jiyai Shin, the world’s #2 woman golfer, was five shots back, but considering she had won two LPGA events this year making up deficits of similar sizes, she was certainly someone to watch on Sunday as well.  It seemed likely that the winner of the year’s third KLPGA Major would come from that group.

But the winner would not be Mi Jeong Jeon.  She struggled right out of the chute with a bogey-double bogey start and was never a factor again.  Shin tried her best, but it just wasn’t her day (or her week).  She hovered around one over par for her round all day, and wound up finishing tied for 7th.

Mi Jeong Jeon

The two amateurs who had been such a factor earlier in the week had different fates.  14 year old Hyo Joo Kim, who had been a co-leader the first two rounds, had struggled on Saturday, and she only played slightly better on Sunday.  She carded a 75 to finish at 3 over and tied for 13th.  She didn’t win, but that’s still a pretty good finish for such a young golfer.  She will be one to watch in the future.

The other teen sensation, Hana Jang, had a much better weekend.  She shot a 69 in the final round to get the early clubhouse lead at 3 under total.  She would have to sit and wait to see if it would be good enough.

For most of the morning, the lead vacillated between Ran Hong and Hee Kyung Seo.  Seo took the lead on 2 with a birdie, then both made bogies on three.  Hong made birdie on 4 to move back into a tie for the lead.  On it went until 8, when Seo grabbed the lead again at 6 under with another birdie.  Then Hong made birdie on 8 and 9, and she took the lead.  Seo made bogey on 8, so Hong’s lead became 2, 7 under to 5 under.  But Seo made birdie on 10 to instantly cut that lead to 1.

Ran Hong

Hee Kyung Seo

It was at this point that Ran Hong started to have trouble.  She made bogies on 11 and 12, while Seo birdied 12.  So now Seo was at 7 under while Hong was at 5.  Both birdied 13.  But the pivotal holes were 14-16.  Hong was facing a short par save on 14, but lipped it out.  She then lipped out an equally short bogey save to make a crushing double bogey.  Her luck continued on the next holes, both of which saw her lip out pars.  Amazingly, she had four straight lip outs from short distance.  By the time she was done with that stretch she had fallen to 2 under.  In the same stretch of holes, Seo birdied 12 – 14 to move to 9 under. 

Ran Hong

Hee Kyung Seo

With Ran Hong self destructing, Hana Jang finished at 3 under, and Seo cruising at 9 under, the only player who still threatened Seo was Na Yeon Choi.  Choi got to 5 under by 14, but bogied the 15th.  She was not able to make another birdie and finished the day at 4 under.  All Seo had to do was stay vertical, and the trophy would be hers.

Na Yeon Choi

Despite a minor hickup on 15, when she missed the green and could not get up and down, the rest of the day was a breeze for the Supermodel of the Fairways.  Hee Kyung birdied the final hole and collected a 5 shot win for her second Major of the year.  It was also her first win of the tournament sponsored by her own primary sponsor, Hite, and amazingly only the second time she had beaten Jiyai Shin in a tournament.

Hee Kyung Seo

Most importantly, the win gives Seo a huge leg up for the year end awards on the KLPGA tour.  She had been in a tight battle with Sun Ju Ahn and So Yeon Ryu for the money list and Player of the Year trophies.  This win will no doubt help her get closer to both those awards.  Congratulations to Hee Kyung Seo on another fabulous victory, her ninth, in her storied career!

Hee Kyung Seo: Win #9!

Hee Kyung Seo

Scores:
1. Hee Kyung Seo 72-71-68-68 -9
2. Na Yeon Choi 71-71-72-70 -4
3. Hana Jang (A) 70-72-74-69 -3
4. Ran Hong 72-68-71-75 -2
So Yeon Ryu 72-71-74-69 -2

Notables:
6. Inbee Park 73-70-74-70 -1
7. Jiyai Shin 74-68-74-73 +1
Jee Hee Lee 73-69-75-72 +1
9. Sun Ju Ahn 73-72-72-73 +2
Ha Neul Kim 71-74-71-74 +2
Shin Ae Ahn (R) 72-70-73-75 +2
13. MJ Hur 73-74-75-69 +3
Jin Joo Hong 73-74-71-73 +3
Hyo Joo Kim (A) 70-70-75-76 +3
Bo Mee Lee 74-70-72-75 +3
17. Song Hee Kim 72-75-72-73 +4
Hye Jung Choi 74-76-71-71 +4
Hee Young Park 72-72-74-74 +4
Mi Jeong Jeon 72-70-70-80 +4
21. Bo Kyung Kim 73-71-73-77 +6
23. Eun Hee Ji 76-73-76-70 +7
26. Chae Young Yoon 70-77-72-77 +8
33. Jimin Kang 72-80-75-73 +12
Il Mi Chung 77-72-76-75 +12
Jung Eun Lee 5 74-73-76-77 +12
36. He Yong Choi 74-75-79-73 +13
Hyun Hee Moon 79-73-77-72 +13
Soo Jin Yang (R) 75-73-77-76 +13
47. Ji Na Lim 74-76-74-79 +15
51. Amy Yang 75-73-79-78 +17
60. Soo Yun Kang 74-79-79-76 +20
61. Seon Hwa Lee 2 (R) 72-81-75-82 +22

Missed Cut
Aram Cho 79-75 +10
Soo Young Moon 80-74 +10
Hye In Lee 74-80 +10
Bobea Park 79-75 +10
Kyeong Bae 79-76 +11
Joo Mi Kim 80-80 +16

Round three started with a 14 year old amateur tied for the lead with glamorous KLPGA vet Ran Hong.  Lurking just a few shots back was defending champion and world #2 Jiyai Shin.  Tons of other stars were also within hailing distance of the leaders.  Anyone could make a move on moving day to establish herself as the player to beat.

Ran Hong is a strong player with multiple wins on tour, but she can be inconsistent.  On Saturday, however, she was solid, carding a 71 to move to 5 under par and a share of the lead.  Her young opponent did not have as much luck.  After making all pars on the front nine, she had three bogies on the back to fall to 1 under, four shots back.  She’s not out of it yet, but will need to have a fantastic Sunday to get the win.

Ran Hong

One of the KLPGA’s biggest stars made the big move on this day.  Hee Kyung Seo started the day three shots back, but shot a 68 on Saturday consisting of four birdies and no mistakes.  This moved her into a tie for the lead with Hong.  The final day may become a shootout with two of the Fashion Models of the Fairways in the final group!

Hee Kyung Seo

Shin did not have a good day, duplicating her first day with a 74 to fall to 7th, five shots back.  This means that the top LPGA player is now Na Yeon Choi, who shot an even par round to stay at 2 under, now three back.  The next best LPGA star is Inbee Park, who is tied for 11th.

Jiyai Shin

As for the JLPGA, Mi Jeong Jeon shot a tidy 70 to move into solo third, just a shot behind Seo and Hong.  With her strong record this year, she is a big threat to add a Korean Major to her trophy case.  Jee Hee Lee shot a 75 to fall out of the top ten.

One more round — Will Seo, who is sponsored by Hite, claim the Hite Cup?  Or will Hong or Jeon have something to say about it?

Seo vs. Hong

Scores:
1. Ran Hong 72-68-71 -5
Hee Kyung Seo 72-71-68 -5
3. Mi Jeong Jeon 72-70-70 -4
4. Na Yeon Choi 71-71-72 -2
5. Hyo Joo Kim (A) 70-70-75 -1
Shin Ae Ahn (R) 72-70-73 -1

Notables:
7. Ha Neul Kim 71-74-71 Even
Bo Mee Lee 74-70-72 Even
Jiyai Shin 74-68-74 Even
Hana Jang (A) 70-72-74 Even
11. Bo Kyung Kim 73-71-73 +1
Inbee Park 73-70-74 +1
So Yeon Ryu 72-71-74 +1
Sun Ju Ahn 73-72-72 +1
Jee Hee Lee 73-69-75 +1
16. Jin Joo Hong 73-74-71 +2
Hee Young Park 72-72-74 +2
18. Chae Young Yoon 70-77-72 +3
Song Hee Kim 72-75-72 +3
24. Hye Jung Choi 74-76-71 +5
25. MJ Hur 73-74-75 +6
29.Jung Eun Lee 5 74-73-76 +7
30. Ji Na Lim 74-76-74 +8
37. Soo Jin Yang (R) 75-73-77 +9
Eun Hee Ji 76-73-76 +9
Il Mi Chung 77-72-76 +9
48. Jimin Kang 72-80-75 +11
Amy Yang 75-73-79 +11
55. Seon Hwa Lee 2 (R) 72-81-75 +12
He Yong Choi 74-75-79 +12
58. Hyun Hee Moon 79-73-77 +13
59. Soo Yun Kang 74-79-79 +16

Missed Cut
Aram Cho 79-75 +10
Soo Young Moon 80-74 +10
Hye In Lee 74-80 +10
Bobea Park 79-75 +10
Kyeong Bae 79-76 +11
Joo Mi Kim 80-80 +16

The big surprise after round one of the Hite Cup was that two of the four co-leaders were amateur teenagers, with one of them, Hyo Joo Kim, just 14 years old.  Could these talented girls possibly stay near the top of the leaderboard with so many big stars in the field, or would round two see them struggle with the pressure of their situation?

As it turned out, both amateurs did just fine, thank you very much!  The 14 year old had a particularly fine outing, staying all by herself in the lead much of the day.  She got herself to 6 under total before a couple of late bogies knocked her down to 4 under.  Still, that was good enough to maintain a share of the second day lead.  The other amateur, Hana Jang, shot an even par round and sat at 2 under tied for third.  So both are in fine shape heading into the weekend.

Hyo Joo Kim

The big mover of the day was the defending champion, Ji Yai Shin.  Shin shot a 68 consisting of 7 birdies and three bogies to move to 2 under total, now just two shots behind Kim.  She went from outside the top 20s to tied for third in one round.  You can better every golfer in the field is keeping an eye on where Shin is.

Jiyai Shin

Tied for the lead with Kim is KLPGA golfer Ran Hong, who shot her own 68 to move to 4 under total.  Two other big KLPGA stars, Hee Kyung Seo and So Yeon Ryu, are both at one under, three shots back.  Both of them would love to win a Major with Shin in the field, especially Ryu, who has yet to win a Major in her career (Seo won her first Major earlier this year at the Korean Women’s Open).

Hee Kyung Seo

Among the other LPGA stars, the top name is still Na Yeon Choi, who shot a second straight 71 to sit at 2 under.  Inbee Park is the other LPGAer under par at 1 under total.

Na Yeon Choi

The other big names lurking are JLPGA stars Mi Jeong Jeon and Jee Hee Lee, both of whom are at 2 under as well.

Two more rounds, and tons of big names can still win the big prize!

Scores:
1. Hyo Joo Kim (A) 70-70 -4
Ran Hong 72-68 -4
3. Jee Hee Lee 73-69 -2
Jiyai Shin 74-68 -2
Hana Jang (A) 70-72 -2
Na Yeon Choi 71-71 -2
Mi Jeong Jeon 72-70 -2
Shin Ae Ahn (R) 72-70 -2

Notables:
9. Inbee Park 73-70 -1
Hee Kyung Seo 72-71 -1
So Yeon Ryu 72-71 -1
12. Bo Mee Lee 74-70 Even
Bo Kyung Kim 73-71 Even
Hee Young Park 72-72 Even
16. Ha Neul Kim 71-74 +1
Sun Ju Ahn 73-72 +1
21.Jung Eun Lee 5 74-73 +3
Jin Joo Hong 73-74 +3
MJ Hur 73-74 +3
Song Hee Kim 72-75 +3
Chae Young Yoon 70-77 +3
30. Amy Yang 75-73 +4
Soo Jin Yang (R) 75-73 +4
36. Eun Hee Ji 76-73 +5
Il Mi Chung 77-72 +5
He Yong Choi 74-75 +5
43. Hye Jung Choi 74-76 +6
Ji Na Lim 74-76 +6
51. Jimin Kang 72-80 +8
Hyun Hee Moon 79-73 +8
59. Soo Yun Kang 74-79 +9
Seon Hwa Lee 2 (R) 72-81 +9
65. Aram Cho 79-75 +10
Soo Young Moon 80-74 +10
Hye In Lee 74-80 +10
Bobea Park 79-75 +10
71. Kyeong Bae 79-76 +11
92. Joo Mi Kim 80-80 +16