Seoul: With the LPGA Tour making its annual stop in South Korea on a seaside course this week, the tournament's top names said Wednesday they must be able to handle windy conditions. The BMW Ladies Championship will begin Thursday at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam, some 330 kilometers south of Seoul in South Jeolla Province. The par-72 course is known for having several greens and tee boxes sitting along the beach and atop seaside cliffs.
According to Yonhap News Agency, some showers are expected for Thursday and Saturday, but Kim Hyo-joo, the top-ranked South Korean player at No. 8, said wind will be more of a factor. "I've practiced here for a couple of days, and I had to deal with strong gusts of wind on holes near the ocean," Kim said at a joint press conference at the course, alongside fellow Korean players Ryu Hae-ran, Kim A-lim, and Yoon Ina, defending champion Hannah Green, and the Japanese rookie sensation Miyu Yamashita. "I heard we will face some blustery conditions on the weekend, so I will have to be ready," Kim Hyo-joo added.
Kim, who won the Ford Championship in March and has had two runner-up finishes in her past five starts, expressed her desire to win on home soil. "I've had some close calls and just missed out on victories, but I've been maintaining strong form," the 30-year-old said. "Now that we're playing in Korea, I want to win the tournament more than ever."
The LPGA Tour witnessed its first multiple champion of the season when world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul won in Shanghai on Sunday. Kim noted, "We used to have dominant players on the tour, but I think there is more parity. I think wins often depend on luck."
Ryu Hae-ran, winner of the Black Desert Championship in May, shared her challenges with windy conditions, citing her high trajectory shots as a disadvantage. "I will try to stay calm and patient," she stated. Kim A-lim, who emerged victorious at the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in February, has been practicing low shots to better handle the wind.
Defending champion Green expressed her struggles with consistency this year and hopes to use the tournament as a turning point. "My golf game hasn't been quite where I would like it to be. The last few months have been probably the hardest time I've had in my career," the Australian said. She mentioned her recent return to Australia to reset and prepare for the championship. "It's a really beautiful golf course. We're right on the ocean," she added, acknowledging the challenging wind conditions expected on Sunday.
Japanese rookie Miyu Yamashita, who leads the Rookie of the Year points race, found familiarity in Pine Beach Golf Links, saying, "The course and conditions are great. Everything is really well maintained and so actually feels a bit like playing in Japan." She expressed her enthusiasm for competing in her first event at this location.
Yoon Ina, in her rookie LPGA season, expressed hope for a breakthrough on home soil. "I have not met my own expectations, but I consider this a great opportunity for me to grow," she said. "Even if I don't get my win right away, I will keep plugging away."
The tournament will feature 78 players competing for a US$2.3 million purse, with the champion earning $345,000.