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▲ The U.S. Women’s Open — long a hallmark of South Korea’s golden era in women’s golf — is back. Power hitter Yun Ina and world No. 3 Kim Hyo-joo headline a Korean contingent aiming to reclaim the crown after 6 years.
[SPOTV News — Reporter Jo Yong-woon] On the LPGA’s biggest stage, who will restart South Korea’s stalled championship clock?
Golf Digest picked 10 players to watch at the 81st U.S. Women’s Open (LPGA), which opens June 4 (Korea time) with a 12 million USD (approximately 16 billion KRW) purse. The list includes elite names such as world No. 1 Nelly Korda and No. 2 Gino Tittikun — and it also features No. 39 Yun Ina.
Yun’s rapid rise on the U.S. circuit makes the pre-tournament buzz surprising, but there’s a clear reason: her length. She averaged 263.45 yards on the Korean tour and has added distance since moving stateside, posting a 272.94-yard average last year that ranked 13th.
This season she’s pushed that even further, up to 279 yards (9th). Her longer drives haven’t come at the expense of ball-striking: Yun posts an impressive 72.5% greens-in-regulation. U.S. analysts have praised her ability to aggressively flight the ball out of the rough for scoring chances and her sharp iron play.
The U.S. Open stage at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, is a brutal assignment even for top players. Organizers have stretched the course to 6,699 yards this year — well above the average women’s setup. A notoriously penal rough swallows anything that veers off the fairway, while small greens with quick breaks punish mistakes.
▲ The U.S. Women’s Open — long a hallmark of South Korea’s golden era in women’s golf — is back. Power hitter Yun Ina and world No. 3 Kim Hyo-joo headline a Korean contingent aiming to reclaim the crown after 6 years.
The Riviera test demands both power and precision. Players who can drive it long and still attack the pin with their second shot will have an edge — which makes Yun’s length and iron accuracy among the event’s most dangerous weapons.
Her results back the talk. Yun has made the cut in all 9 starts this season and recorded 3 top-10s. Her T4 at April’s Chevron Championship, the season’s first major, showed she’s adapted to the U.S. game.
Another major threat from Korea is world No. 3 Kim Hyo-joo. She owns 9 tour wins but hasn’t added a major since the 2014 Evian Championship. That decade-plus-long hunger has become a powerful motivator.
After winning last month’s NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship at home, Kim dialed back other official events to focus on this Open. The organizers paired her with Nelly Korda and fifth-ranked Hannah Green — a grouping that promises early fireworks. Korda, who has 3 wins this season including a major, against a major-starved Kim is one of the matchup’s main storylines.
▲ The U.S. Women’s Open — long a hallmark of South Korea’s golden era in women’s golf — is back. Power hitter Yun Ina and world No. 3 Kim Hyo-joo headline a Korean contingent aiming to reclaim the crown after 6 years.
The field features 156 of the world’s best, and 23 Koreans entered. The lineup spans generations: Ko Jin-young, Choi Hye-min, Kim Sei-young, Shin Ji-ae, Yang Hee-young, plus Hwang Yu-min, Yoo Hyun-jo, Hong Jeong-min and amateur national team member Oh Su-min.
The U.S. Open is where Korean women’s golf has shined brightest. Since Se-ri Pak’s legendary barefoot win in 1998, stars like Inbee Park, Jeon In-ji, Park Sung-hyun and Lee Jeong-eun have followed, combining for 11 U.S. Open titles. Yet it’s been 5 years since A-rim Kim’s 2020 triumph — and Korea is eager for another run at the top.
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