Star golfers flock to PyeongChang

Choi Na-yeon

PyeongChang, more commonly known as a mecca for winter sports, will host several high-profile Korean golfers this weekend.

Hall of Famer Pak Se-ri and defending U.S. Women’s Open Champion Choi Na-yeon will headline the KLPGA Tour’s KDB Daewoo Securities Classic at the Phoenix Park Golf Club.Yang Yong-eun, a two-time PGA Tour winner, will participate in the Munsingwear Match Play Championship at the Alpensia Troon Country Club.

Choi and Pak will be in the same field again, just two weeks after competing at the Hanwha Finance Classic in Taean, where they tied for fourth and eleventh positions, respectively.

Yang Yong-eun

Choi also played the Women’s British Open last week.

Along with the LPGA Tour stars, the field will feature top players from the Korean Tour.

Kim Char-young, currently enjoying a breakout season by topping three tournaments, and Kim Ha-neul, the reigning MVP, will take the course to try and deny the U.S. Tour golfers from triumphing on home turf again. Two weeks ago, Ryu So-yeon, also on the LPGA Tour, claimed the Hanwha title.

On the men’s side, Yang, the only Asian to win a PGA Tour major, has struggled this season, managing just one top-25 finish and failing to make the cut 13 times in 20 appearances.

The 40-year-old, who reached the round of 32 in April, is determined to restore his damaged reputation at this week’s events and next month’s Korea Open, which will feature American Rickie Fowler.

“I will try to stop the slump by winning the (match play) tournament,” he said.

However, there will be some resistance from the Korean Tour.

Kim Bio, the Tour’s money leader on the back of two victories, defending champion Hong Soon-sang are among those also seen as in contention. <The Korea Times/Kang Seung-woo>

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