2007 KLPGA Hite Cup Championship

Hite Cup Championship
The next KLPGA event, the Hite Cup, took place from October 11th-13th this year. The defending champ was Hyun Hee "Honey" Moon, but most eyes were on Ji Yai Shin, who was going for her 8th win of the season. Na Yeon Choi was back, fresh from winning the second LPGA Q-School sectional, as was Hee Young Park, who also did very well there.

As well, the field had a bunch of LPGA players participating, being that there were no more full field events in America. Among the LPGA golfers in attendance were Kyeong Bae, Joo Mi Kim, Jacqueline Yang, Inbee Park, Hye Jung Choi and Soo-Yun Kang (pictured).

Shin struggled a bit in round one, shooting a 2 over par 74. Not her greatest start of the season, but she was only five shots out of the lead, by no means out of it. The leader after round one was another of the KLPGA's top players, Eun Hee Ji, who shot a 3 under par 69. Two relatively unknown players were tied for second, but among those tied for fourth at one under were Joo Mi Kim, Da Ye Na, and defending champ Honey Moon.

Round two proved to be a more challenging day of golf for everyone. The best score on the day was turned in by Hee Kyung So, who really kicked butt, shooting a 6 under par 66. But she was the only golfer on the course in the 60s, and even with that second round, she still only sat in a tie for fifth.

For the second straight day, the leader was Eun Hee Ji (pictured). She had three bogies and three birdies, including a bogey on the closing par 5 18th hole. She sat at 3 under par. Creeping up the leaderboard was Na Yeon Choi. Choi was having a dream few weeks, winning the Shinsegae, then winning the LPGA sectional. In round two she had three bogies and five birdies for a 2 under par 70, tied for the second best score of the day. She now sat just one shot behind Ji on the leaderboard. She was trying to make it two wins in a row (she did not play the previous KLPGA event, which Ji Yai Shin won, because she was in Florida).

Speaking of Ji Yai Shin, she had a great day under the circumstances. She, too, shot a 70, which moved her to even par, tied for 8th. She was also trying to make it two wins in a row. She was only three shots back, and with her talent, that was a gap she could make up. Ji and Choi might have to bring their best to stop her.

Among the LPGA contingent, the top player was Inbee Park. The LPGA rookie shot an even par round and was tied for 5th at 1 under. Kangsy was also having a good tournament; she was tied for 10th at one over par. Not sure what happened to KB, but she shot a miserable 85 to plummet to near the bottom of the leaderboard. Ouch!

So after the third round ended, who would walk away with the giant beer glass trophy? (Hite is a beer company).

Eun Hee Ji had won twice on tour this season, and had been leading the tournament the first two days. She continued to play well on the final day as well. She went out in three under on the front nine, to move her total to 6 under. Another birdie on the 12th hole moved her to 7 under, and in control of the event.

Other golfers in the field took a shot to unseat Ji. Ji Yai Shin (pictured), who was coming off a win in her last start, did not get out to a very good start in the event. But she played well on day two and matched that on day three. She shot a final round 70 that moved her to a 2 under total, which was not enough. She finished tied for fifth.

Defending champion Hyun Hee Moon had a good day, shooting a 69, but that was not enough to win; she tied Shin for fifth. Na Yeon Choi also played well; like Shin, she had won her previous start. But she also fell short, finishing 4th.

Most of the LPGAers struggled to make an impact, but a few took a serious shot at Ji's lead. One of these was Inbee Park. The star LPGA rookie was in the top five going into the final round. She played well, putting together three straight birdies at one point. But it was not enough; she finished third.

Well, as it turned out, another LPGA golfer in the field, Hye Jung Choi, did even better. She started the final round just a shot behind Ji (pictured), and went 2 under on the front nine to keep her within two shots. Once Ji made the birdie on 12, she had a three shot lead, but Choi made a birdie on 15 to cut that lead to two. Still, it looked like Ji had things locked up.

Then disaster struck. On the final hole, an 18th hole par 5, Ji made a double bogey, while Choi dunked a birdie putt. Ji had led the tournament for most of the 54 holes, but Hye Jung Choi ended up grabbing the trophy on the final hole.

Congratulations to Choi for a truly stunning victory!