South Korean golfer Park In-bee will compete in her home country for the first time since winning the gold medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, officials here said Monday.
Park, 28, will take part in the Doosan Match Play Championship on the Korean LPGA Tour that will be staged in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, from May 17 to 21, the event organizers said. It will be the first time for Park to join such a match play event at home.
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(Yonhap) |
"Park will return to South Korea on May 9 after playing the LPGA Tour's Lorena Ochoa Match Play in Mexico," the organizers said. "She will then prepare for the Doosan Match Play Championship."
It will also be the first time for her to perform in front of home fans after winning the gold medal at the Olympics in Brazil.
After claiming the historic victory, Park said she plans to compete at two local events, but failed to do so because of a thumb injury.
"I really wanted to meet South Korean fans after winning the gold medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics," Park said through the organizers. "I'm happy that I'm invited to play this event that celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. I do like the match play format, so I want to deliver an entertaining performance to home fans."
Park, who turned pro in 2006, has yet to win on the KLPGA Tour, even though she has won 18 times on the US LPGA Tour which also includes seven major titles.
Park, meanwhile, tied for 13th at the Volunteers of America Texas Shootout on the LPGA Tour in Irving, Texas, on Sunday (local time). She has one victory this year with the HSBC Women's Champions title in March. (Yonhap)
