Ji Eun-hee wins Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play

Ji Eun-hee won the Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play presented by MGM Rewards, beating Ayaka Furue of Japan three-and-two on Sunday.

Ji Eun-hee poses with the champions trophy after defeating Ayaka Furue of Japan three-and-two in the Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play Hosted by Shadow Creek at Shadow Creek Golf Course on Sunday in Las Vegas, Nevada. [AFP/YONHAP]

Ji Eun-hee is sprayed with water and cheered on by fans after defeating Ayaka Furue of Japan three-and-two at the Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play Hosted by Shadow Creek at Shadow Creek Golf Course on Sunday in Las Vegas, Nevada. [AFP/YONHAP]

Ji Eun-hee won the Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play presented by MGM Rewards, beating Ayaka Furue of Japan three-and-two on Sunday.

The Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play is the only match play event on the LPGA Tour. Unlike the more common stroke play, where all golfers compete against each other in an attempt to achieve the fewest strokes at the end of all four rounds, in match play, golfers compete to win each hole.

Regardless of the difference in number of strokes, a player earns one point for a win. If the score is five holes to four, the winning golfer is up by one.

A total of 64 players are divided into 16 groups of four and after three days of round-robin matches, the competition moves to a 16-player, single-elimination bracket.

In the semifinals on Saturday, Ji beat Andrea Lee of the United States 4-and-3, meaning Ji beat Lee in just 15 holes to reach the finals. Furue defeated Lilia Vu of the United States 2-and-1 in the semis.

On Sunday, after being tied over the first eight holes, Ji took the lead on the par-5 ninth as her third shot landed right in front of the hole and rolled right into it. That eagle shot may have been what led her to the trophy, as she later revealed that iron shot could have gone terribly wrong.

“My caddie gave me the wrong number the first time, then he shot with the laser, and he give me the right number,” said Ji on Sunday in a post-tournament interview.

“That's why I changed my club, and I just hit it what's the number and then just goes in. I'm like, so exciting.”

Ji held on to that lead until what turned out the be the last hole, the par-5 16th, as Furue missed her par putt and bogied while Ji parred to clinch the trophy.

“She's a really great player, and especially her short game is really great," said Ji of her opponent.

"Afternoon round, green gets really, really fast, so even for me I couldn't make like really good distance-wise. She sometimes makes little bit of problem over there, so that was rough, yeah. But it was pretty enjoy to play with her.”

Ji Eun-hee tees off on the 14th hole during the final day of the Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play Hosted by Shadow Creek at Shadow Creek Golf Course on Sunday in Las Vegas, Nevada. [AFP/YONHAP]

The Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play trophy is Ji’s first win in three years and four months. Her last win was at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January of 2019.

Not only that, but Ji is now the oldest Korean golfer to win an LPGA title, at age 36 years and 16 days. Park Hee-young held the previous record after winning the ISPS Handa Vic Open in 2020 at age 32, eight months and 16 days. Ji is also the oldest winner on the 2022 LPGA Tour.

After turning professional in 2004, Ji debuted on the LPGA Tour in the 2007 season. She won her first title at the Wegmans LPGA in 2008, her first major at the U.S. Women’s Open in 2009, and then had to wait until 2017 to win the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship. She won the Kia Classic in 2018 and the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in 2019. Four of her six titles were won in her thirties.

This win enables Ji to compete in the U.S. Women’s Open starting this Thursday.

“I really didn’t think I’d be able to make it [to the Women’s Open),” Ji said. “It’s still surreal and hasn’t sunk in. I think it’ll hit me once I go there next week. Hopefully I can continue this week’s momentum into next week.”

With the win, Ji becomes the first player since Katherine Kirk in 2017 to win the event prior to the U.S. Women’s Open and clinch the final spot in the major field.

Ji won the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open at Saucon Valley Country Club and has played in every tournament since 2008. Ji will tee off alongside 10 other past champions on Thursday.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]