Updated: March, 2024

HYUN KYUNG PARK

The Facts

Birthday: January 7, 2000
Rookie Year on LPGA: Not on tour
Rookie Year on KLPGA: 2019
Birthplace: South Korea
Best LPGA Finish: T-21st (2019 BMW Cham
pionship)
Best LPGA Major Finish: T-49th (2018 US Women's Open)
Height: 5' 6"
2024 LPGA Status: On KLPGA tour
Nicknames: Rabbit Park, Cutieful
How's her English?: Unknown
Road to the LPGA: Not on tour

Capsule Bio

Hyun Kyung Park turned pro in 2018 and played on the Dream Tour that year. She graduated to the big tour in 2019.

She had a very solid rookie season on the KLPGA tour. She earned nearly 310 million won and finished 23rd on the money list. She was not able to win. but did collect 9 top tens, including a third place finish.

In 2020, the whole world was rocked by the Covid-19 pandemic. The LPGA and KLPGA tours canceled and postponed many tournaments.

Before the season restarted in mid-May, Park became friends with world #1 Jin Young Ko, who acted as a mentor to the teenage star. Coming into the 2020 season, Park talked about how important it was for her to get a win or two as soon as she could.

 

It did not take her long to achieve that goal. Park put herself into contention at the first event after the break, the KLPGA Championship. She trailed her good friend Hee Jeong Lim heading into the final round, but Hyun Kyung rallied and won the event. Thus her first KLPGA win was also a Major. Not too long after that, she claimed a second victory, again beating Lim, this time in a playoff. These two wins increased her profile among Korean fans, and she quickly became hugely popular.

Park ended up 7th on the 2020 KLPGA money list, with nearly 530 million won earned. Besides the two wins, however, she had only two other top tens.

Hyun Kyung was offered a chance to play at the US Women's Open in December, but turned it down. However, she did play for the KLPGA team at the annual OrangeLife KLPGA/LPGA team competition. She teamed with top KLPGA star Hye Jin Choi to beat Na Yeon Choi and Mi Hyang Lee 3 & 2. She squeaked by Bo Mee Lee in singles 1 up. The KLPGA won 10.5 to 7.5.

Hyun Kyung had a great 2021 season. She repeated as champion at the KLPGA Championship for her second career Major. She very nearly won a third: she played spectacularly well at the Korea Women's Open, but she ran into Min Ji Park at the height of her powers. Tied going to the last hole, Hyun Kyung hit a poor drive resulting in a bogey, Min Ji made birdie, and though she was eight shots ahead of third place, Hyun Kyung had to settle for second. Hyun Kyung had much the same thing happen to her the week before; at the Celltrion Queens Masters, she and Min Ji went toe-to-toe, with Min Ji again just beating Hyun Kyung at the end.

Still, it was a great year for her: besides the Major win, she had runner up finishes at the Korea Women's Open and the KB Star and a 6th at the Hite Cup. She had a total of four runner ups, one third and one fourth and fourteen top tens. She earned 844 million won, 4th on the money list, and led the league in putting with a 29.45 average. She continued to be one of the most popular Korean golfers, with more Instagram followers than any LPGA Korean other than In Gee Chun.

Hyun Kyung did not win in 2022, but it was still a pretty good year for her. She finished 13th on the money list with almost 600 million won earned. She came close to getting a win. She lost to So Young Lee in a playoff at the Dayouwinia - MBN Ladies Open. She later finished second again to So Mi Lee at the SK Networks event, but this time she was five back. She had an additional third and a fourth and eight total top tens. And yes, Hyun Kyung again finished second to Hee Jeong Lim in the Most Popular award.

Hyun Kyung struggled for years to get back into the winner's circle. Finally, at the end of 2023, after nine runner up finishes (including three in 2023), she got a win. It came at the third to last event of the year, the SK Networks Classic. It didn't come easy: she had to beat So Young Lee in a two-hole playoff (Lee actually had a short putt to win on the first playoff hole but luckily for Park missed).

Besides the win, Park had three additional runner up finishes and a third, and 11 total top tens. She made 860 million won for the year, 5th on the money list. And she finally topped Hee Jeong Lim for the Most Popular Award. Cutieful continues to be one of the best and most loved players on the KLPGA.

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