He won his 95th try, doubted the first champion, and denied himself

Apr 13, 2025

He won his 95th try, doubted the first champion, and denied himself
Photo courtesy=KLPGA



"I doubted myself and thought negatively..."

Kim Min-joo won her first KLPGA Tour victory.

Kim Min-ju hit 5 under par in the final round of the iM Financial Open at Golf Zone County Sunsan in Gumi-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do on the 13th, recording a total of 15 under par in the fourth round, and winning her first championship in 95th tournament since her professional debut in 2022. This competition was a new competition, and Kim Min-ju even took the honor of being the first champion and won 180 million won in prize money.




Kim Min-ju started the final round in fifth place alone, two strokes behind the lead. It wasn't an easy match. At the joint lead was long hitter Bang Shin-sil and veteran Park Chu-young. On top of that, there was a huge wind at the stadium, making it difficult for any player to show their skills. However, he was flooded with concentrated play, beating two star players.

After the victory was confirmed, Kim Min-ju expressed her feelings "It was my first victory this year and my honor to be the first champion of the new competition."

Asked when she felt she won the championship, Kim Min-ju said, `After the last hole, other players congratulated me, so I knew the situation by asking my caddie. I really didn't know until then."




He won his 95th try, doubted the first champion, and denied himself
Photo courtesy=KLPGA
In response to a perfect broadcast interview as if she was ready, Kim Min-ju said, `When I won, I wanted to say everything I wanted to say coolly and calmly. That's why I took speech lessons and practiced.' He also didn't forget the message to his mother asking him to change his cell phone that he had used for four years.

As for the process leading up to her first win, Kim Min-ju said, `People around me cheered me on as a player who can win at any time. But I doubted myself and thought negatively. I filled it with practice. I thought golf was a sport that honed the road."

How did it feel to get water for the first time. Kim Min-ju said, `I always thought about when I'll get hit. Even though it was chilly, I was so happy"The goal was to win the first championship, but it was achieved. I want to play top 10 7 times or more this season. I want to play continuously" revealed the goal.






This article was translated by Naver AI translator.