S. Korean golfer enjoys successful rookie season on LPGA Tour

SEOUL, Nov. 21 (Yonhap) — Highly touted South Korean golfer Chun In-gee lived up to her reputation as she wrapped up her rookie season on the LPGA Tour with two awards.

Chun claimed the Vare Trophy, which is awarded to the player with the lowest scoring average, after competing the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida, on Sunday (local time).

The 22-year-old finished the season’s last tournament in seventh place with a four-day total of 13-under 275. However, her score in the final round, two-under 70, gave her the Vare Trophy over Lydia Ko who shot an even-par 72 on the closing day.

Ko led Chun by 0.006 entering the final round. When the New Zealander made a bogey at the par-5 17th hole and Chun birdied, it all came down to the final hole. Ko settled for a par at the 18th, but Chun curled in a birdie putt to pull off a dramatic finale.

Chun finished the season with a 69.583 scoring average, just 0.013 ahead of Ko.

“It was a big honor for me,” Chun was quoted telling the LPGA website. “I know she’s great, but Lydia is a great player. I learned from her a lot.”

Expectations were high for Chun’s first LPGA season as a full-time member. Last year, she won the U.S. Women’s Open, the oldest ladies’ major, as a nonmember.

Chun suffered a lower-back injury in March and was forced to miss a month of action. However, she had a solid performance later on, which enabled her to qualify for the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympic Games as one of four South Koreans. She tied two others in 13th place at five-under, with countrywoman Park In-bee taking the gold medal at 16-under.

After the Rio Games, Chun stunned the golf community by winning the Evian Championship, the season’s last major tournament, in record-breaking fashion. In France, she shot a 21-under 263, which is the lowest score in relation to par at any major championship, men’s or women’s. Her 263 aggregate score is the lowest ever at an LPGA major.

Chun became just the second LPGA player to win her first two titles at major championships, joining her South Korean compatriot Pak Se-ri from the 1998 season. The victory also lifted her to clinch the Rookie of the Year points race with eight tournaments remaining in 2016.

With the Rookie of the Year title and the Vare Trophy in her hands, Chun is only the second golfer in history to win two awards in her LPGA rookie season after Nancy Lopez did so in 1978.

Chun, who will close this year as the world No. 3-ranked golfer, the highest among South Koreans, said she has enjoyed her first full LPGA season.

“I learned all the new golf courses, travel, and learning English. … Everything was hard for me,” Chun told the LPGA about her rookie season. “But I just tried to enjoy everything. Everybody welcomed me and made me feel comfortable.”

In this file photo taken on Oct. 14, 2016, South Korean golfer Chun In-gee shows her respect to fans during the second round of the LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship at Sky72 Golf Club in Incheon.

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