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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