Park Bo-kyum has claimed her first major title since debuting on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour.
On September 13, at the Blackstone Icheon Golf Club in Icheon, Park shot a final round of 1-under 71, with three birdies and two bogeys, in the third major tournament of the KLPGA Tour season, the KB Financial Golden Life Championship, which has a total prize pool of 1.5 billion won.
With a total score of 5-under 283, Park edged out a group tied for second place at 4-under 284, which included Yoo Seo-yeon2, Bang Sin-sil, and Park Ye-ji, by one stroke to secure the victory.
This win marks Park's first major championship since her tour debut in 2021 and her fourth career victory, coming approximately 1 year and 6 months after her last win at the Blue Canyon Ladies Championship in March 2025.
Additionally, she has extended her streak of winning at least once each year since 2013. Park has now lifted trophies at the 2023 Kyochon 1991 Ladies Open, the 2024 Sangsangin-Hankyung Wownet Open, and the Blue Canyon Ladies Championship last year, achieving four consecutive years of victories.
With this win, Park earned 270 million won in prize money, moving her up to 10th place in the prize money rankings with a total of 497.04 million won. She also climbed to 8th place in the points standings.
Starting the final round tied for second, one stroke behind the leader, Park made a long birdie putt from about 14 meters on the first hole (par 5) to tie for the lead. She then engaged in a fierce battle for the top spot with Yoo Seo-yeon2, Park Ye-ji, and Bang Sin-sil.
Park took the solo lead with a birdie on the third hole (par 3) but briefly lost it after making bogeys on the fifth hole (par 5) and the seventh hole (par 3). However, she regained momentum with a birdie on the eighth hole (par 4) and took advantage of Yoo Seo-yeon2's bogey on the 14th hole (par 4) to return to a tie for the lead.
The turning point came on the 16th hole (par 3), where Park calmly saved par while Yoo Seo-yeon2 made a bogey, allowing Park to take the solo lead. She maintained her composure over the remaining holes, fending off the challengers to secure the win.
In a post-victory interview, Park expressed her satisfaction, saying, "I feel fulfilled to have achieved my personal goal of winning a major tournament. Looking back, it was a great day for me."
She added, "At the start of this season, my golf wasn't in great shape. I had doubts about whether I could win again this year, but I received a lot of encouragement from those around me. The chairman of Samchully told me, 'If you stay calm, your time will come.' So, I approached this tournament with composure."
Regarding her goals for the season, she stated, "I have been winning once a year, but this year I aim to achieve multiple victories. I will do my best."
Seo Kyo-rim, who has four wins this season, finished in fifth place with a total score of 3-under 285. She earned 60 million won in this tournament, bringing her season total to 1.38176 billion won, surpassing Kim Min-sol to take the top spot in the prize money rankings.
Kim Si-hyun and Jeon Woo-ri tied for sixth place with a total score of 2-under 286.
Former LPGA Tour player Jeon In-ji, who participated as an invited player, finished in a tie for 29th place with a total score of 5-over 293.
Kim Min-sol ended the tournament in a tie for 47th place with a score of 9-over 297.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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