Seoul, Dec. 13 (BUS): After delivering a powerful and at times astonishing performance over a stressful two-week period, South Korean golfer An Narin realized her dream of making it to the LPGA Tour.
I did it the hard way. You could have taken a much shorter path to reach the LPGA just two months ago.
An won the 144-hole marathon LPGA Q-Series in Alabama on Sunday (local time), finishing at 33 under 541 to defeat Pauline Roussin Bouchard of France by one stroke for the Medal of Honor. He got a six-under 66 in the final round at Highland Oaks Golf Club, the best result of anyone over the last 18 holes.
The 25-year-old has won the K-League round twice and will now be testing herself against the world’s best players, Yonhap News Agency reported.
“I am excited to be able to travel to different countries,” Ann said, according to an interview transcript provided by the LPGA. “I am also looking forward to playing with players that I have only been able to see on TV.”
A was able to see some LPGA players in person in October, when she competed in the BMW Women’s Championship, the only LPGA tournament held in South Korea every season.
Playing as a member of the KLPGA, An advanced in the first round and remained tied for the first time through 36 holes. Any non-LPGA member who wins a course becomes eligible for full-time LPGA status for the following year, an opportunity not lost on An.
After the opening round, An first revealed that she had signed up for the LPGA Q-Series.
“I started playing golf because I want to play on the LPGA Tour,” Ann said at the time. “That’s why I’m entering Q-School this winter. I want to do well there. But if I can win this week and go straight to the LPGA Tour, that’s a lot better.”
It faded down the extension and finished in a third-place tie at 17-under, five shots from a playoff won by Koo Jin Young.
Few South Korean players have taken the “win a tournament to get your own LPGA” route in recent years, and Ko has been the biggest success story. After taking home a championship in 2017, Coe won the LPGA Rookie of the Year in 2018, and then Player of the Year in 2019 and 2021.
Ahn will now join Ko and the rest of the talented South Korean battalion.
Ann said the Q-Series win didn’t cross her mind until after Friday’s round, when she was two strokes away from the lead held by Rossine Bouchard. In her post-tour interview, Ann was asked about the possibility of her taking the top spot on the leaderboard. She replied that she had not actually planned to win the championship and that she simply wanted to continue playing well.
On Sunday, she admitted that the first question motivated her.
“I am very happy to win the Q Series,” said Ann. “The past two weeks have been physically exhausting, but I’m glad I finished doing well.”
FKN