![[Graphic News] S. Korean golfers regain momentum on LPGA Tour](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F05%2F20%2Fnews-p.v1.20250520.f3de09cc5df446609f26b96fb35ba7e4_T1.gif&w=3840&q=100)
[Graphic News] S. Korean golfers regain momentum on LPGA Tour
Ryu Hae-ran recently captured a wire-to-wire victory at the inaugural Black Desert Championship, finishing with a bogey-free final round of 8-under 64 that included six birdies and an eagle. She posted a total score of 26-under 262 to secure the title.
This marks the third LPGA Tour win of the year by a South Korean golfer.
While Korean players have faced challenges on the LPGA Tour in recent years, standout performers such as Ryu Hae-ran, Amy Yang, Kim Hyo-joo and Kim A-lim continue to deliver impressive results. Earlier this season, Kim Hyo-joo claimed the Ford Championship title in March, while Kim A-lim secured a win at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament.
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Korea Herald
2 hours ago
- Korea Herald
S. Korea coach looking to test young players ahead of World Cup
With South Korea having locked down their World Cup berth early, head coach Hong Myung-bo said Friday he will use the team's one final qualifying match to test young and unproven players. Hong and the rest of the team received a hero's welcome home at Incheon International Airport, just west of Seoul, on Friday evening, some 12 hours after securing their 2026 World Cup ticket by beating Iraq 2-0 in Basra, southern Iraq, in their latest qualifying match. South Korea will compete in their 11th consecutive World Cup, a streak bettered by only Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Italy and Spain. South Korea will host Kuwait in Seoul on Tuesday to wrap up Group B play in the third round of the Asian qualifiers. After grabbing their World Cup spot in a hostile environment, the South Korean players will likely be in for a celebratory night in front of home fans in an otherwise inconsequential match. To Hong, though, the match will still be an important occasion as he hopes to get a closer look at some inexperienced players in a national team setting. "We will try our best in that match. And it's an opportunity for us to test young guys who may be able to play at the World Cup next year," Hong told reporters at the airport. "We won't have too many opportunities like this. It's one thing for those guys to watch from the bench and quite another for them to play." Hong said there is no shortage of options on the current iteration of the squad. Of the 26 players, seven players were born in the 2000s and 14 players have fewer than 10 caps. Five of them didn't have any international appearance prior to the Iraq match, with defender Cho Hyun-taek and midfielder Jeon Jin-woo making their debuts in Basra. "Both on defense and offense, we can send out some young players. I will be talking to my staff on how to go about that plan," Hong added. "From this moment on, everything we do will be geared toward preparing for the World Cup." After the Kuwait match, Hong said he will travel to the United States to watch the FIFA Club World Cup, where his former K League 1 team, Ulsan HD FC, will be the lone South Korean representative. Then in July, South Korea will host the East Asian Football Federation E-1 Championship, followed by friendly matches against the US and Mexico in September. The EAFF tournament has usually featured players based in the domestic K League because it's held in the offseason for European clubs. With the World Cup a year away, though, Hong hinted he may cast a wider net than usual when it comes to selecting players. "For the East Asian tournament, I want to take players who have a chance to play, and help the team at the World Cup and be competitive there," Hong said. "After that event, then I will start getting ready for the September friendlies." With young guns licking their chops, Hong hinted that Son Heung-min, who wasn't on the squad list against Iraq, may be held out next week, too. Son missed about a month earlier this year with a foot injury, before captaining Tottenham Hotspur to the UEFA Europa League title on May 21. He did not play in Spurs' final Premier League match of the season that weekend, and Hong said Son is not fully recovered from the foot trouble. "If we wanted to force the issue, he could have played maybe 20 to 30 minutes. But I don't think it's the right thing to do to the player at this moment," Hong said. "His season is over, and he had a tough one with injuries. We will make a decision on him over the next couple of days, but I don't think we're at a point where we have to push him that hard." Hong thanked South Korean fans for their support while watching the match that kicked off at 3:15 a.m. Friday. With Iraq on the South Korean government's travel ban list due to security risks, no fans made the trip to watch the win in person. Hong admitted he had been concerned about safety issues during the team's stay in Iraq and thanked the South Korean Embassy in Iraq for taking good care of the players.
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Korea Herald
S. Korea coach, player bracing for difficult match vs. Iraq with World Cup berth in sight
With South Korea closing in on a berth in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, head coach Hong Myung-bo is trying to get his charges prepared for a difficult away match against Iraq. South Korea, world No. 23, will take on 59th-ranked Iraq in their penultimate Group B match in the third round of the Asian World Cup qualifiers. The match kicks off at 9:15 p.m. Thursday at Basra International Stadium in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, or 3:15 a.m. Friday, South Korean time. South Korea are leading Group B with 16 points, three ahead of Jordan with two matches to go. The top two teams from each of the three groups in this round will punch their tickets to the World Cup, and South Korea will grab one out of Group B with at least a draw against Iraq this week. Despite the sizable gap between the two nations in the FIFA rankings, Hong predicted a tough challenge for his team. "I don't think we will have an easy match. There will be challenges in every aspect," Hong said at a prematch presser at Basra International Stadium on Wednesday, according to a video clip released by the Korea Football Association to the South Korean media Thursday morning here. "As their coach, I trust my players. They've done a great job so far, and I expect them to play well tomorrow too. We will try to prepare for the match so that we will be able to grab points." South Korea defeated Iraq 3-2 at home in their previous meeting in October 2024. Midfielder Hwang In-beom echoed Hong's sentiment at the presser, and he too voiced confidence in his team's ability to rise to the occasion. "We've been working hard for this match because our World Cup qualification is at stake," Hwang said. "We are feeling some pressure because we will have to play an away match against a good Iraqi team. But we've been training hard as a team, and if we can show that on the field, then I believe we will be able to come away with a good result." The Taegeuk Warriors have played three consecutive 1-1 draws, including two against underdogs Oman and Jordan at home in March, when they had a chance to clinch a World Cup spot in front of their own supporters.
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Korea Herald
Soop emerges as powerhouse behind Asia-Pacific esports productions
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