Hyo Joo Kim had a shot of backing up her Evian Championship with another major victory at the MetLife KLPGA Championship last Sunday, but instead another rising young star on tour took the title for her 3rd victory of the season. Kyu Jung Baek got it to -10 early and the leaders came back to her 1 by 1, until only Ran Hong managed to match her total. Baek beat the veteran in a 1-hole playoff, closing the gap on Rookie of the Year race leader Jin Young Ko in a major way.
Meanwhile on the LET, just as countrywoman Paula Reto was contending on the LPGA, South Africa's own Connie Chen was holding off the likes of Carlota Ciganda, Beth Allen, Charley Hull, Nontaya Srisawang, and Nikki Campbell and leaving big names like Azahara Munoz, Lee-Anne Pace, and Melissa Reid in the dust at the Tenerife Open de Espana. Chen has had a few decent finishes in the last few years, but followed up a T7 a few weeks ago with 2-straight missed cuts before finding something in Spain.
Chen turns 22 late next month and Baek turns 19 just before her, so be on the lookout for more good things from them both for years to come. If I had to handicap their chances of making it to the LPGA, I'd say Chen is a long shot and Baek is a sure shot, but with players this young you never can tell just where their limits actually are!
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