(LEAD) LPGA major-player
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| ▲ In this Getty Images photo, Ko Jin-young of South Korea tees off on the first hole during a practice round for the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey, on June 21, 2023. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ In this Associated Press photo, Ko Jin-young of South Korea smiles during a press conference ahead of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey, on June 21, 2023. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ In this Getty Images photo, Ko Jin-young of South Korea tees off on the first hole during a practice round for the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey, on June 21, 2023. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ In this Getty Images photo, Ko Jin-young of South Korea putts on the 18th green during a practice round for the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey, on June 21, 2023. (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) LPGA major-player
(LEAD) World No. 1 Ko Jin-young honored to match LPGA legend's record
(ATTN: ADDS comments in last 3 paras)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, June 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korean star Ko Jin-young matched an LPGA record to start this week, as she remained at No. 1 in the women's world rankings for the 158th week overall.
It tied Ko with Mexican legend Lorena Ochoa for the most weeks spent at the top in LPGA history, a feat that Ko said has made her feel humble. Ko has a chance to own the record by herself at the season's second major tournament, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey.
"It's an honor people (are) saying Lorena and me in the same sentence," Ko said at her pretournament press conference Wednesday (local time). "It makes me happy, but also it makes me humble. It's a great honor to stand with Lorena."
Three players ranked right below Ko -- Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko and Lilia Vu -- all have a chance to surpass Ko Jin-young this week. Korda is the only one of the trio who can rise to No. 1 with a win and without any help from others. Lydia Ko, for instance, must win and have Ko Jin-young finish alone in third or worse.
The formula is more complicated for Vu, who must win, have Ko Jin-young finish solo 12th or worse, have Korda end alone in fourth or worse and have Lydia Ko finish solo third or worse.
Ko Jin-young said she will keep her focus on the golf course this week, with the par-72, 6,831-yard track sure to test the best of the best in women's golf, both physically and mentally.
"The course is a really challenging golf course, but if I keep the ball on fairways or greens, I can make a lot of birdies," Ko said. "I like to play this type of golf course because the fairways are not wide, and the rough is not easy. I love to play difficult golf courses."
Ko said wrist problems that had plagued her last season -- she fell out of No. 1 and dropped to No. 5 in the rankings last fall -- are behind her.
"My wrist is getting better than last year, and I worked out every day for my wrist," she said, when asked about how thick and unforgiving the rough at Baltusrol may affect her play this week. "I'm not worried."
The defending champion this week is another South Korean player, Chun In-gee, who has had her own injury problems.
Chun missed about a month earlier this year with back issues. Chun said Wednesday she still has "a little bit of inflammation" in her back, but her body overall feels much stronger than before.
"I'm so excited to be back here as the defending champion. I know it's a little bit more pressure than other tournaments, but at the same time, it's more fun," Chun said at her presser. "I think I'm ready to enjoy this week.
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