Hee Kyung Seo birdied her last four holes to claim the inaugural Saint Four Ladies Masters on Jeju Island in South Korea on Sunday.
The 22-year-old defeated compatriot Sun-Ju Ahn by two strokes on home soil at Saint Four Golf and Resort. The three-round tournament was co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour (LET) and the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA).
Starting the final round on eight-under-par, one stroke behind Ahn, Seo closed with a six-under 66 for a three round total of 14-under-par 202. Ahn carded 69 for outright second, with So Yeon Ryu a shot further back in third after a 65.
Seo, ranked second behind this year’s Ricoh Women’s British Open champion Ji-Yai Shin on the KLPGA Money List, began slowly with a bogey at the fourth hole, but her fortunes turned when she birdied the seventh for the third day running.
She trailed Ahn by four strokes at the turn but fired six birdies over the back nine for an inward total of 30.
After tapping in for birdie at the tricky par-five 15th, Seo eventually caught Ahn when she sank a curling 20 foot birdie putt at the par-three 16th. She pulled a shot clear at the par-four 17th and sealed the win with an eight foot birdie putt at the last hole.
“From the very beginning of the event, I thought I could win,” said Seo. “I achieved quite good scores yesterday, which improved my confidence. I tried not to make too short putts.”
Seo has won five times on the KLPGA Tour this year and said that her game had improved significantly since she spent time practising with her friend Shin over the summer. She said that she could not believe how much Shin practised, which made her improve her short game.
Seo now intends to accept the offer of membership of the LET in category 3 for the current and the next three seasons until the end of 2011, which would see her exempt for the Evian Masters and most other tournaments on the LET schedule.
She added: “What I envied about Shin was that she could have a variety of selections for the events (in which) to participate. I will continue to focus on the KLPGA tour but try to expand my fields by taking part in major LET events.”
According to officials from the KLPGA, golf is part of the school curriculum in Korea and for students who choose golf as their main sport at the age of 13, it is compulsory to practise for a minimum of two hours a day, seven days a week. This may help to explain why the top 14 places were filled with Korean names this week, and they comprise almost a third of the world’s top 100 ranked players.
Italy’s Veronica Zorzi was the best placed LET member in a share of 15th place on four-under-par. Meanwhile her compatriot Margherita Rigon, Belgium’s Lara Tadiotto and Australian Anna Rawson were part of a group of players a shot further back in a share of 17th.
