Updated: March, 2024

YOON KYUNG HEO

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The Facts
Birthday: August 27, 1990
Rookie Year on KLPGA: 2010
Birthplace: South Korea
Best LPGA Finish: T-18th (2014 KEB Hana Bank Championship)
Best LPGA Major Finish: CUT
Height: 5' 7"
2024 LPGA Status: Retired; was on KLPGA
Nicknames: None Known
Sponsors: Hana Financial Group, Honma, Fantom
How's her English?: Unknown
Hobbies: Unknown
Road to the LPGA: Still on KLPGA tour

Capsule Bio

Yoon Kyung Heo (sometimes spelled Hur) turned professional in late 2009 and joined the KLPGA tour the following year as a 19 year old. She had a solid rookie year, finishing 18th on the money list with 6 top tens, including a second place at that year's Lotte Mart Women's Open.

Heo's sophomore season in 2011 was not as impressive. She only managed a 30th place finish on the money list and 4 top tens.

In 2012, Heo at last had her breakout year, challenging for several year ending awards, including the money list title. Heo made every cut in 2012, with seven top tens and several more top 20s. What was amazing about her year was how often she came very close to winning without ever getting a trophy. Her run started at the Hanwha Classic, where she battled So Yeon Ryu until the end, making a crucial out of bounds approach shot on the final hole to blow the win. Heo had another chance at the next event, the KLPGA Championship, but again finished second. She finished runner-up AGAIN the next event, this time to Korean legend Se Ri Pak. After a 16th place, she notched her fourth runner-up result of 2012, this time at the year's third Major, the Hite Cup.

If Heo would have managed even a single win, she might have snagged the money list title away from Ha Neul Kim. But she did not, and had to settle for second on the money list, with over 420 million won earned. She was also second to Kim in the scoring average race. No year end prizes for her, but still by far her best year to date.

Heo's success was rewarded with her first berth on the Korean team at the Korea-Japan Team Competition in December. She lost in the team match (paired with Soo Jin Yang), but won her singles match the following day.

Heo finally got her first career win in 2013 at the Woori Ladies Championship. She had a very good 2013 in general, finishing tenth on the money list with nearly 300 million won earned. She had six top tens, including the win and a second place at the S-OIL Champions Invitational.

Heo had a fantastic 2014 season, easily the best of her career. Despite the incredibly competitive nature of the league that year, she still finished 2nd on the money list with over 700 million won earned. That was still over half a million won behind #1 Hyo Joo Kim, who shattered the record for most money in a season; but Heo's total was itself one of the best in history.

Heo had two wins in 2014 (the Seoul Kyeongjae Ladies Open and the E1 Charity Open) but it was still her near misses that defined her season. For instance, in the final two events, she led by three shots going into the last day both times, but won neither of them, losing in a playoff in one and on the final hole in the other. She had one other runner-up result. She also contended at the LPGA's KEB Hana Bank, but a bad final day knocked her all the way down to a tie for 18th, which was still her best LPGA finish yet. In all, she had 15 top tens on the year, 9 of which were top fives.

Heo started 2015 with promise. She played in the LPGA's first Major, the ANA Inspiration, and missed the cut. But she played better in Korea, notching a few early top tens. Alas, injuries caught up to her, and by August she was out for the rest of the season. In all, she managed four top tens, including a second place finish at the S-OIL behind In Gee Chun.

Heo continued her comeback in 2016. She was not able to win, but did finish 39th on the money list with about 160 million won earned. Her best finish was a playoff loss at the Fantom Classic, which especially hurt being that it came at a tournament sponsored by her clothing sponsor. She had two other top tens on the year.

In 2017, Heo finished 15th on the KLPGA money list with about 315 million won earned. She had three top four finishes but no wins.

Heo missed the entire 2018 season due to injury, but returned to action in 2019. She was not at her former level, but did have a decent return to action, finishing 47th on the money list with about 135 million won earned. She had a 10th and a 5th place finish during the year.

Heo did play in 2020 when the tour started up after Covid. She finished 62nd on the money list with 77 million won earned. She had just one top ten, a 10th. After that she retired. She has reportedly played on the WLPGA since then, a tour for senior players organized by Shi Hyun Ahn.
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