Hwang aims for Ladies Masters glory

Korean rising star Hwang Yoon is poised to make a strong impression when the ICTSI Worldwide Link Philippine Ladies Masters unfolds on Wednesday at the challenging The Country Club course in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Making her debut in the Philippines, she is determined to dominate and secure back-to-back victories in the first two overseas events of the Korean Dream Tour.

Fresh off her maiden victory at the Indonesian Women’s Open three weeks ago — where she edged fellow Korean Cho Yeongmin on the second sudden-death hole — Hwang is determined to carry that momentum into this high-stakes tournament.

“The goal of every competition is always to win. I will play with confidence,” said Hwang, 23, during a practice session at the challenging TCC course over the weekend.

While she acknowledges the tough competition ahead — with 50 top players each from the Korean LPGA (KLPGA) and the LPGA of Taiwan (TLPGA), and the top 32 from the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) — Hwang remains focused on the course’s demands.

“Like in Indonesia, I will study the course and understand its characteristics,” she said.

“Tee shots and putting are the most important aspects.”

However, TCC presents additional challenges, including its demanding length and unpredictable winds, which are expected to impact play on most holes, especially the closing par-4 18th, widely regarded as one of the toughest finishing holes in Asia.

The 54-hole $200,000 championship is the first KLPGA-sanctioned event held in partnership with the LPGT and TLPGA, ensuring a high level of competition over three intense days.

Among the key contenders are 2021 KLPGA Rookie of the Year and two-time winner Song Ga-eun, former national standout Sohn Yebeen, 2024 Korean Dream Tour winner Park Ye-Ji and US-based player Yoo Dagyeom.