Jin Young Ko
Name:
Jin Young KoCountry:
South KoreaBorn:
July 7, 1995 in Seoul, South Korea.Original/Home Club:
Occupation:
Professional golferTurned Pro:
2013Website:
https://www.seoulsisters.comMAJORS (2): ANA Inspiration (2019); Evian Championship (2019). Multiple wins on the LPGA of Korea Tour and LPGA Tour. LPGA Tour leading money winner (2019, '20, '21).
Turning professional in 2013 aged 18, over the period 2014-17 Ko became a ten-time winner on the LPGA of Korea Tour. She joined the LPGA Tour in 2018, notching up a win in the LPGA co-sanctioned Australian Women's Open, and then in 2019 on American soil in the Bank of Hope Founders Cup. Her first major championship win followed just two weeks later in the 2019 ANA Inspiration.
Rounding off a fabulous 2019 season, Ko won the LPGA Tour's money list and secured the Tour's Player of the Year Award.
Asia
HSBC
Played as the HSBC Women's World Championship (Mar 3-6; LPGA Tour event). Second-placed Minjee Lee (Aus) and In Gee Chun (S Kor) finished 2 shots behind Jin Young Ko (S Kor). [Tanjong course, Sentosa GC, Singapore].
America
Cambia Health
Played as the Cambia Portland Classic (Sept 16-19). Second-placed Su-hyun Oh (Aus) and Jeongeun Lee (S Kor) finished 4 shots behind Jin Young Ko (S Kor), who recorded her second LPGA Tour win of 2021. [Columbia Edgewater CC, Portland, Oregon].
Awards
Rolex
Jin Young Ko (S Kor) won the LPGA 2021 Rolex Player of the Year Award with 211 pts, based on a points system for top 10 finishes and performance in Majors. Nelly Korda (USA) was second with 197 pts; Patty Tavatanakit (Thai) was third with 126 pts.
America
CME Group
Played as the CME Group Tour Championship (Nov 18-21; LPGA Tr season-ending event). Second-placed Nasa Hataoka (Jpn) finished 1 shot behind defending champion Jin Young Ko (S Kor). Ko's win also gave her the season-long LPGA Tour money title for the third straight year. [Gold course, Tiburón GC, Naples, FL].
America
Cognizant
Played as the Cognizant Founders Cup (Oct 7-10). Second-placed Caroline Masson (Ger) finished 4 shots behind defending champion Jin Young Ko (S Kor), who recorded her tenth LPGA Tour win. [Mountain Ridge CC, West Caldwell, NJ].
Awards
LPGA Tr
Jin Young Ko (S Kor) won the LPGA Tour Money List for the third straight year, with 2021 season earnings of $3,502,161 on the Tour. Nelly Korda (USA) was second with $2,382,198; Nasa Hataoka (Jpn) was third with $1,901,081.
America
Volntrs of America
Played as the Volunteers of America Classic (July 1-4). Second-placed Matilda Castren (Fin) finished 1 shot behind Jin Young Ko (S Kor). [Old American GC, The Colony, nr Dallas, TX].
Asia
BMW
Played as the BMW Ladies Championship (Oct 21-24; LPGA Tr/KLPGA Tr event). Jin Young Ko (S Kor) beat Hee Jeong Lim (S Kor) with a birdie at the first playoff hole, to record back-to-back LPGA Tour wins and her fourth win in her last seven starts. [LPGA Intl Busan, Busan, S Korea].
America
CME
Played as the CME Group Tour Championship (Dec 17-20; LPGA Tr season-ending event; postponed from Nov 19-22 due to world coronavirus pandemic). Second-placed Hannah Green (Aus) and Sei Young Kim (S Kor) finished 5 shots behind Jin Young Ko (S Kor). Ko's win also gave her the season-long LPGA Tour money title, after having played in only four events on the Tour in 2020. [Gold course, Tiburón GC, Naples, FL].
Awards
LPGA Tr
Jin Young Ko (S Kor) won the LPGA Tour Money List for the second straight year, with 2020 season earnings of $1,667,925 on the Tour. Sei Young Kim (S Kor) was second with $1,416,993; Inbee Park (S Kor) was third with $1,377,799.
Awards
LPGA Tr
Ko (S Kor) won the LPGA Tour 2019 Money List, with season earnings of $2,773,894 on the Tour. Sei Young Kim (S Kor) was second with $2,753,099; Jeongeun Lee (S Kor; playing as Jeongeun Lee6) was third with $2,052,103.
Awards
CME Group
Jin Young Ko (S Kor; 4,148 pts) won the LPGA Tour's season-long points chase, the Race to the CME Globe. Brooke Henderson (Can) was second with 2,907 pts; Minjee Lee (Aus) was third with 2,870 pts. The 2019 "Race", based on points earned for "above the cut line" finishes, determined the 60 competitors for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship (which was won by Sei Young Kim).
Majors
ANA
Played as the ANA Inspiration (48th) (April 4-7). Second-placed Mi Hyang Lee (S Kor) finished 3 shots behind first-time major championship winner Jin Young Ko (S Kor), who recorded her second win in three weeks. [Dinah Shore Tournament course, Mission Hills CC, Rancho Mirage, CA].
Majors
Evian
The Evian Championship (26th) (July 25-28). Second-placed Hyu-joo Kim (S Kor), Shanshan Feng (China) and Jennifer Kupcho (USA) finished 2 shots behind Ko (S Kor), who recorded her second major championship win, both coming in 2019. [Evian Resort GC, Evian-les-Bains, France].
Awards
LPGA Tr
Ko (S Kor) won the Vare Trophy, recording the season's lowest scoring average (69.052) on the LPGA Tour. Hyo Joo Kim (S Kor) was second with 69.408; Brooke M. henderson (Can) was third with 69.551.
America
Bank of Hope
Played as the Bank of Hope Founders Cup (March 21-24). Second-placed Carlota Ciganda (Esp), Yu Liu (China), Jessica Korda (USA) and her younger sister Nelly Korda (USA) finished 1 shot behind Jin Young Ko (S Kor). [Wildfire GC, Phoenix, AZ; composite of back-nines of Palmer & Faldo courses].
America
Canadian Pacific
Played as the CP Women's Open (Aug 22-25). Second-placed Nicole Broch Larsen (Den) finished 5 shots behind Jin Young Ko (S Kor). [Magna GC, Aurora, Ontario].
Awards
Rolex
Jin Young Ko (S Kor) won the LPGA Rolex Player of the Year Award with 241 pts, based on a points system for top 10 finishes and performance in Majors. Nelly Korda (USA) was second with 126 pts; Jeongeun Lee (S Kor; playing as Jeongeun Lee6) was third with 123 pts.
Awards
Rolex
Ko (S Kor) won the LPGA Tour 2018 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award as the leading first-season player. Using a season-long points system (based on finishes in Tour events), Park accumulated 1,263 pts (earning $1,159,005 in the process). Georgia Hall (Eng) was second with 759 pts ($837,678); Yu Liu (China) was third with 608 pts ($464,347).
Aus/NZ
ISPS Handa
Played as the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open (Feb 15-18; ALPG/LPGA Trs event). Second-placed Hei-jin Choi (S Kor) finished 3 shots behind Ko (S Kor), who became only the second ever player to win on her debut as a member of the LPGA Tour. Beverley Hanson first accomplished this feat in 1951. [Kooyonga GC, Lockleys, Adelaide, SA].
Asia
HanaBank
Played as the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship (Oct 12-15; KLPGA/LPGA Tours event). Second-placed Park Sung-hyun (S Kor) finished 2 shots behind 22-year-old Jin Young Ko (S Kor; not an LPGA Tour member), who recorded her first LPGA Tour win. [Ocean course, Sky 72 GC, Incheon, S Korea].
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