South Korean “super rookie” Bang Shin-sil, 19, won her fifth tournament on the Korean Women’s Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, marking her meteoric rise to stardom.
Bang, the longest hitter in the field this season with an average driver distance of 259.6 yards, carded two birdies in the final round of the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour’s E1 Charity Open ($900 million in prize money) at Seongmunan CC (Par 72-6520) in Wonju, Gangwon Province, on Monday for a three-day total of 9-under par 207 to win by two strokes over runners-up Yoo Seo-yeon and Seo Yeon-jung (7-under par 209). It was the first rookie title of the season and the 10th wire-to-wire victory in KLPGA history.
Bang, who joined the KLPGA in October last year and has been playing on the Dream Tour (second division), secured a regular tour seeding through 2025 with the thrilling victory and quickly moved into sixth place on the season’s money list (KRW 278.89 million) with the KRW 162 million 메이저사이트 in prize money. With a first-place finish in stroke average (70.08), sixth place in the Grand Prize, and third place in the Rookie of the Year, Bang is now in contention for top honors in all categories, and is one match away from surpassing the record of 200 million won in six tournaments set by the likes of Choi Hye-jin and Park Min-ji.
Bang, who burst onto the scene with a fourth-place finish at the 45th KLPGA Championship in her regular tour debut last month, finally won in her third start in a championship group after finishing third at the NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship earlier this month as an invitee.
Playing in the rain all day, Bang, who was tied for the lead with Park Ji-young and Kim Hee-ji, took a one-stroke lead at the 16th (par-5) before hitting a 219-yard second shot to the fringe of the green and then adding an easy birdie to secure a two-stroke victory.
Bang, who once struggled with hyperthyroidism and was forced to play on the second tour last year after slipping to 40th in the KLPGA seeding rankings, said in her victory interview, “I used to play long, but I increased my distance by more than 20 yards in winter training,” adding, “All my friends and colleagues who played for the national team are playing on the first tour, and I was struggling to stay in the second tour. My goal was to secure a seed this year, and I’m glad I did.”