Thirty-eight Korean and Korean American golfers began competing Thursday at the 81st U.S. Women’s Open, which is being held in Los Angeles for the first time in tournament history.
The championship opened June 4 at Riviera Country Club, a par-71 course in Pacific Palisades, with 38 players of Korean heritage in the field, including 11 Korean American golfers.
With Korean players historically enjoying remarkable success at the tournament, attention is once again focused on whether one of them can lift the trophy this year.
A tournament official said this marks the first time the U.S. Women’s Open has been held in Los Angeles since the event was founded, adding further significance to the championship.
The U.S. Women’s Open has long held a special place in Korean women’s golf.
Beginning with Se Ri Pak’s iconic victory in 1998, remembered for her barefoot shot from the water, Korean players have won the tournament 11 times through A Lim Kim’s championship in 2020.
A total of 156 players entered this year’s field.
The 11 Korean American participants include Alison Lee, Gina Kim, Andrea Lee and Catherine Park. Another 23 golfers from South Korea are competing, including In Gee Chun, A Lim Kim, Sei Young Kim, Mi Hyang Lee and Na Rin An.
Including Korean heritage players representing Canada and Australia, 38 Korean and Korean American golfers are competing for the title.
Riviera Country Club was crowded with players and spectators from early Thursday morning.
At the practice area in front of the clubhouse, players made final adjustments to their putting, while fans gathered to take photos of the golfers they came to support.
Seven fans who traveled from South Korea gathered around the practice area of LPGA rookie You Min Hwang, widely known by her nickname, “The Charging Captain.”
Seo-hee Kim, a member of Hwang’s official fan club, said this was not her first trip to the United States to watch the golfer compete.
“I also traveled to Hawaii for last year’s Lotte Championship and to Orlando, Florida, for this year’s LPGA season opener,” Kim said.
Korean American fans were also visible throughout the course.
James Park, a San Francisco resident, traveled to Los Angeles with his family to watch world No. 3 Hyo Joo Kim.
“We plan to follow Hyo Joo Kim throughout the tournament and cheer for her,” Park said. “I have supported her for a long time because of both her outstanding ability and the way she treats her fans.”
Several Korean players, including Sei Young Kim, Na Rin An, Hyo Joo Kim and Ji Yai Shin, moved near the top of the leaderboard during the opening round, raising hopes for another Korean victory.
Players identified Riviera’s kikuyu rough as one of the course’s biggest challenges.
Because the grass has densely intertwined stems and roots, balls can sink deep into the rough and become extremely difficult to play.
Riviera Country Club, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, is considered one of the most prestigious golf courses in the United States.
The club hosts the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational and is also scheduled to serve as the golf venue for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
This year’s U.S. Women’s Open carries a total purse of $12.5 million, one of the largest in women’s professional golf.
Following Friday’s second round, the top 60 players and ties will make the cut and continue competing for the championship over the weekend.
