Kim Hyo-joo seeks first major since 2014; Choi Hye-jin, Hwang Yu-min and Jeon In-ji also in contention

Kim Hyo-joo, ranked third in the world with two LPGA Tour wins this season. [AP]
Kim Hyo-joo, ranked third in the world with two LPGA Tour wins this season. [AP]

The US Women's Open, the second major of the women's golf season, tees off Wednesday with a $12 million purse.

The 81st edition will be held at Riviera Country Club (par 71) in Pacific Palisades, California, running through Saturday.

Twenty-three South Korean players are among the 156 competitors in the field. World No. 3 Kim Hyo-joo — who has two LPGA Tour wins this season — is among the leading title candidates. Kim has recorded four top-10 finishes this year, including her two victories, and sits second behind Nelly Korda of the United States in both CME Globe points and Player of the Year standings.

Kim's only major title came at the 2014 Evian Championship in September, when she was not yet an LPGA Tour member. That win launched her full-time LPGA Tour career, where she has since accumulated nine victories through the Ford Championship in March.

After the Chevron Championship — the season's first major in April — Kim skipped LPGA Tour events and instead competed in the KLPGA Tour's NH Investment Ladies Championship in early May, which she won.

Having named a major title as her goal at the time, she has since been managing her form in preparation for the US Women's Open.

Other South Korean LPGA Tour players in the field include Choi Hye-jin, Hwang Yu-min, Jeon In-ji, Lim Jin-hee, Kim A-lim, Park Sung-hyun, Yang Hee-young, Yoon Yi-na, Kim Sei-young, Ko Jin-young, Lee Mi-hyang, Lee So-mi, Lee Jeong-eun and Kang Min-ji.

Of those, Jeon In-ji, Park Sung-hyun, Lee Jeong-eun and Kim A-lim are all former US Women's Open champions.

The tournament holds a special place in Korean golf history, defined by Park Se-ri's barefoot triumph in 1998. Since then, Korean players have lifted the trophy in 2005 (Kim Joo-yeon), 2008 and 2013 (Park In-bee), 2009 (Choi Eun-hee), 2011 (Yoo So-yeon), 2012 (Choi Na-yeon), 2015 (Jeon In-ji), 2017 (Park Sung-hyun), 2019 (Lee Jeong-eun) and 2020 (Kim A-lim).

No Korean player has won the title since Kim A-lim's victory. Choi Hye-jin posted the best Korean result last year with a tie for fourth.

Also in the field are Shin Ji-yai, a 66-time winner on the Japan LPGA Tour, along with KLPGA Tour players Yoo Hyun-jo, Hong Jeong-min, Kim Min-sol, Ko Ji-won and Lee Da-yeon, as well as amateurs Oh Su-min and Lee Seung-hyun.

Korda, who reclaimed the world No. 1 ranking with three LPGA Tour wins this season, is chasing back-to-back major titles after her Chevron Championship victory.

Korda has won or finished runner-up in six of the seven LPGA Tour events she has entered this year, placing no worse than a tie for eighth in the remaining one. A second consecutive major would further cement her standing as the dominant force in women's golf.

Defending champion Maja Stark of Sweden will look to retain her title.


yjc@heraldcorp.com