LPGA rookie Youmin Hwang is refining her aggressive playing style, learning when to attack, how to manage difficult courses, and how to endure a demanding season.
Known in South Korea as the “Charging Captain (돌격대장),” Hwang still hits the ball a long way in the United States. But she no longer charges blindly at every pin, and she no longer believes that practicing as much as possible is always the right answer.
In her first season on the LPGA Tour, Hwang is preserving the powerful, aggressive style that has defined her game while changing the way she reads courses and approaches competition.
Rather than focusing solely on immediate results, she is paying closer attention to the process. She is also managing her energy and physical condition as she learns how to navigate a long and demanding LPGA season.
Hwang, who competed in the 81st U.S. Women’s Open, spoke with The Korea Daily on June 4 at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades. She identified improved course management as the area in which she has grown the most since joining the LPGA Tour.
“In the past, I really only looked at the pin,” Hwang said. “Now, I look at a wider target area. Courses in the United States are very difficult, and the areas around the greens are challenging, so I have had to change the way I plan my shots.”
Hwang said Riviera Country Club, the site of this year’s U.S. Women’s Open, rewards sound judgment more than reckless aggression.
“It is a course where strategic decisions are more important than tee shots,” she said. “The most important thing is to think carefully about where you cannot go and where you can afford to attack.”
The player once known for charging directly at the flag is now beginning to consider the next shot and the entire course.
She has not abandoned her aggressive instincts. Instead, she is learning when to attack and when to back away.
Hwang has also come to appreciate the importance of the short game even more since moving to the U.S. tour.
“Playing today reminded me again how important the short game is,” she said. “I also want to improve my success rate when hitting different shot shapes, rather than simply trying to hit every shot straight.”
Her attitude toward competition has also changed.
Instead of judging herself only by the score, Hwang now examines whether the skills she practiced are carrying over into tournament play.
“Right now, rather than being overly concerned with results, I am focusing more on the process,” she said. “I look at whether the things I practiced, including my short game, are actually showing up during competition.”
Even when a round does not unfold as planned, Hwang tries not to become consumed by the result.
“Today did not go the way I wanted, but I try to find the things I did well and think about how I can play better tomorrow,” she said. “I try to prepare for the next round with as positive a mindset as possible.”
Members of Hwang’s fan club who attended the tournament described her as a relentless worker.
Hwang, however, said she is learning to control her practice habits in the United States.
“I would not say that I practice less than others, but here, if you practice too much, it can become physically exhausting,” she said. “I think I need to manage it carefully. Simply practicing as much as possible is not always a good thing.”
The LPGA schedule requires players to travel across the United States and compete in consecutive tournaments.
Rather than using all of her energy at one event, players must manage themselves with the entire season in mind. Hwang’s changing practice habits reflect her effort to maintain consistent performance over the long term.
Hwang currently leads the LPGA rookie standings and is at the front of the race for Rookie of the Year.
She is not, however, allowing the award to become her primary focus.
Instead of setting an ambitious headline goal, she has chosen to address each immediate challenge one at a time.
“I want to keep making cuts consistently,” Hwang said. “My realistic goal is to play as many tournament rounds as possible and qualify for the CME season finale.”
