Kim Ha-neul wins 2015 JLPGA Tour Munsingwear Ladies Tokai Classic

Kim Ha-neul wins 2015 JLPGA Tour Munsingwear Ladies Tokai Classic. September. 23, 2015 08:05. kjs0123@donga.com.

Kim Ha-neul, 27, was busy receiving words of congratulations from golfers and golf industry insiders. KLPGA Chairman Koo Ja-young welcomed the news, saying, “Great present for Chuseok holiday.” As so many people gathered around her, the Dong-A Ilbo team had to change the place for interview with her when the team met with Kim in Yangju Lakewood CC in Gyeonggi Province where KLPGA Tour YTN Volvik Women`s Open was held on Tuesday.

Kim returned home after winning the 2015 Munsingwear Ladies Tokai Classic on Sunday. As she won eight KLPGA tours in Korea and topped the prize money list twice, Kim had high expectations on KLPGA tours this season. However, Kim had been at the rock bottom of slump before she won for the first time in the JLPGA.

Kim had never made top 10 in 17 games until August. She ranked around 40th in the prize money list and a ticket to the next year season, which is distributed to the top 50 players, wasn’t for sure. “In Japanese golf fields, tall trees were planted at the end of the fairway. It made me intimidated and suffocated. That influenced tee shots and all the following shots were all negatively affected,” said Kim. “I was often told to take off my cap at a club house. It wasn’t allowed for golfers to wear a raincoat." In addition to the language barrier, Kim had difficulties from cultural differences.

Such challenges made Kim cry alone in her local residence in Japan. Kim tried to start being alone before making a decision on whether to come back to Korea. Two weeks ago, Kim departed her parents who kept following her throughout the JLPGA tours and started going solo without her parents. “When I was with my father, I followed his directions and just tried to spend away training hours. As I started taking care of my laundries and meals, it grew my sense of responsibility and concentration," she said. "I practiced putting for three hours a day. Coach (Shin) Ji-ae told me that I was changed. I felt playing golf differently from the past. The opportunity for her to fix the tee shot came at the KLPGA tour Hanwha Finance Classic, which she participated earlier this month. At deep rough and narrow fairways, her concentration to increase precision was effective.

After Kim made top 10 (tied for 5th place) for the first time during the season in the JLPGA, Kim gained confidence again. She cried tears of joy when she kissed on the trophy. Her prize money ranking jumped to 25th place. “Now I can get rid of pressure for the rest of season. I feel like the second half of my golfer life just began,” said Kim. Her smile was as bright as high autumn sky.