15-year-old Lee Hyo-song wins JLPGA Tour 7-shot victory
Lee Hyo-song shot a 5-under 67 in the fourth round of the JLPGA Tour World Ladies Salonpas Cup (total prize money of 120 million yen) at Ibaraki Golf Club (par 72) in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, on the 5th.
Lee Hyo-song, who recorded 8-under 280 overall, beat outstanding professionals to win the title. She has yet to win the KLPGA tour.
According to Japan’s Golf Digest, Lee Hyo-song, who was born on November 11, 2008 and won at the age of 15 years and 176 days, broke the record for the youngest ever winner of the JLPGA Tour.
The previous record was 15 years and 293 days for Minami Katsu (Japan) in 2014.
It is the second time for a Korean amateur to win the JLPGA tour since Kim Hyo-joo in 2012. It is also the eighth time for a Korean amateur to win the JLPGA tour.
It is the first time in four years and five months that a Korean player has won a major JLPGA Tour tournament since Bae Sun-woo, who won the Rico Cup Tour Championship in December 2019.
It is also the first victory of a Korean player on the JLPGA Tour this season.
On this day, Lee Hyo-song broke the competition between Lee Ye-won and Yamashita Miyu (Japan), the winner of the Korea-Japan tour prize money, and won a thrilling come-from-behind victory.
Lee Hyo-song, who started the fourth round in 10th place with Lee Ye-won, the lone leader, finished the first half with two birdies without a bogey.
Lee Hyo-song, who exchanged two birdies and bogeys at the 12th and 16th holes, made a birdie at the 17th hole (par 3).
He then succeeded in a bold two-on at the 18th hole (par 5), and dropped an eagle putt to join the lead.
As Lee Ye-won, Yamashita and Shri Sakuma of Japan collapsed on their own, Lee held the trophy without extra time. As she is an amateur, she cannot receive the prize money (24 million yen).
The 7-shot turnaround victory in the final round is said to be the most upset victory in the JLPGA Tour’s major tournament history.
Lee Ye-won made three birdies and seven bogeys, losing four shots and finishing third (6-under 282).
Sakuma is ranking second (7-under 281) and Yamashita is tying for fourth (5-under 283) with Shin. Bae Sun-woo (4-under 284) is ranking sixth.
BY: 사설토토