South Korean golfer Ryu Hae-ran named LPGA Rookie of the Year
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Ryu Hae-ran of South Korea playing her shot from the 15th tee during the Final round of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
PHOTO: AFP
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FLORIDA – Ryu Hae-ran has won the 2023 Rookie of the Year award, the LPGA Tour announced on Monday.
The 22-year-old South Korean clinched the honour after tying for 12th at The Annika on Sunday.
With 893 total points entering the CME Group Tour Championship this week, she holds an insurmountable 274-point lead over Grace Kim of Australia.
“I’m honoured to earn the Rookie of the Year award and add my name to the prestigious list of winners before me. This year has been a memorable one, and I’m proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish on the LPGA Tour,” Ryu said in a press statement.
“I’m forever grateful to my team and fans for their support over my first season, and I can’t wait to close out the year at the CME Group Tour Championship.”
Ryu is the sixth player from South Korea to earn the honour since 2015, but the first since Lee Jeong-eun in 2019.
Ryu recorded her first LPGA Tour victory at the NW Arkansas Championship in September.
She has five other top-10 finishes and enters the season’s final week ranked second in greens in regulation (75.7 per cent) and third in birdies (314).
She has earned more than US$1.5 million (S$2 million) this season.
Ryu will receive her Rookie of the Year award at the Rolex LPGA Awards ceremony on Thursday at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Florida. REUTERS
