S. Korean Chun In-gee wins 1st LPGA title in 2 years at home

All News 15:54 October 14, 2018

By Yoo Jee-ho

INCHEON, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- Crowd favorite Chun In-gee captured her first LPGA title in two years at home Sunday.

Chun won the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship at 16-under 272 at Sky 72 Golf Club's Ocean Course, adjacent to Incheon International Airport. Chun carded a 66 in the final round thanks to seven birdies and one bogey, and took home US$300,000 in the winner's check.

Chun In-gee of South Korea watches her tee shot at the first hole during the final round of the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship at Sky 72 Golf Club's Ocean Course in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, on Oct. 14, 2018, in this photo courtesy of the tournament organizers. (Yonhap)

This was Chun's third career LPGA win and her first non-major title. Her previous victories came at the 2015 U.S. Women's Open and the 2016 Evian Championship.

Chun started the day two shots behind two co-leaders, Charley Hull of England and Danielle Kang of the United States, and played in a group right in front of them. With the backing of hundreds of her famously dedicated fans, Chun poured in five birdies on the front nine and added two more on the back nine, negating her lone bogey at the 10th.

Chun, the 2016 LPGA Rookie of the Year, is the seventh South Korean to win on the LPGA Tour this year. They have combined for nine victories in 27 tournaments so far.

Chun began the year ranked No. 5 in the world but entered this tournament as No. 27. In 17 starts before this one, Chun had three top-10 finishes but none since early June.

But she came in with some positive momentum after helping South Korea win the UL International Crown -- an LPGA team match play competition -- in Incheon last week. Chun was the only South Korean to win all four matches in four-ball and singles.