This is the heyday of Ko Jin-young. Although she was ‘cut off’ at the US Women’s Open last week, she kept the No. 1 position for 8 consecutive weeks in the women’s golf world rankings announced on the 10th. She enjoyed the status of ‘Number 1’ for a whopping 161 weeks, surpassing ‘living legend’ Lorena Ochoa (Mexico, 159 weeks). It is a new record for the longest period at number one in the world rankings. Ko Jin-young held her top position for over 3 years and 4 months. Her world number 2 Nellie Korda (USA) also highly praised her skills from Jinyoung Ko. “Currently, the best female player in the world is Ko Jin-young,” he praised. What is the strength of Ko Jin-young, who her rivals also acknowledged?스포츠토토
The secret to Ko Jin-young being the best is her strong mental strength. David Brooker (England), who is carrying her Ko Jin-young’s caddy bag, also emphasized this. He was in charge of Ochoa’s golf bag from August 2006 to June 2009, and is a ‘special helper’ who won 21 of Ochoa’s 27 career wins. Brooker explained the advantages of Ochoa and Ko Jin-young. In an interview with the LPGA Tour, she said, “The playing styles of Ko Jin-young and Ochoa are different.” She added that “her mental strength is similar, but her ability to overcome crises is also outstanding.”
Ko Jin-young is a true ‘number 1’ with excellent skills and strong mental strength.
Ko Jin-young struggled in the second half of last year due to a wrist injury. After tying for 8th at the Evian Championship, a major tournament in July, he appeared in 6 tournaments, but was sluggish, with 3 cut-offs and 1 withdrawal. She also came down from the top of the world rankings, which had been solid. A critical interpretation came out, saying, “Now Jin-young Ko’s heyday is over.” However, Ko Jin-young took all of his heart. Along with his training, he regained his confidence through mental training.
The CEO of Green Coaching Solution, Jung Green, who has been with Jinyoung Ko since his rookie days, praised him, saying, “Jinyoung Ko has a simple personality. He is flexible in accepting advice or advice.” . Representative Jeong recalled that during her slump period, Jin-young Ko said, “I told her to wait while preparing,” and she “recommended her meditation and emphasized the process of emptying her mind.” Ko Jin-young revived by winning the HSBC World Championship in March and the Founders Cup in May, and achieved her 15th win in her career.
Ko Jin-young is not a genius golfer. Compared to his peers, Kim Hyo-joo and Baek Gyu-gyu, she received less attention in the early days of her debut. Ko Jin-young changed dramatically after winning the KEB Hana Bank Championship as a non-member in 2017, securing her direct ticket to the LPGA. She had the best year by winning 4 wins, including Rookie of the Year in 2018 and 2 majors in 2019, and also won 5 wins in 2021 to achieve 3 consecutive titles as Money King.
Ko Jin-young’s driving force for success is hard work. He is known for being a huge ‘practice bug’. Even during competitions, he finds a mess. Ko Jin-young invited Lee Si-woo, who was in Korea, to the United States during a short break after winning the Founders Cup. He agonized over and over again to find a performance that would satisfy him 100%. He took to the field from 6:30 a.m. every day. He held the club until the blisters on his palms burst. It is unusual for him to train intensely during the season. Coach Lee said, “Ko Jin-young is a style that focuses on training,” and predicted, “I expect better results than now.”
Ko Jin-young is a player whose strength is elaborate iron shots.
Ko Jin-young’s strength is his consistent performance. The fairway landing rate and green hit rate are outstanding. He doesn’t make any big mistakes, so he rarely forgets his at-bats. Except for 2022, when he was sluggish, he has never fallen below 2nd in batting average and 5th in green hit percentage. In 2019 he won the Bear Trophy (lowest stroke award). He recorded 60 strokes in 16 consecutive rounds, a new record on the LPGA Tour last year. He also achieved 34 consecutive rounds of under par.
Concentration is also excellent at critical moments. This is the power of collecting 15 championship trophies in a short period of time. He doesn’t flinch in his attitude to the game. Coach Lee said, “Ko Jin-young thinks ‘there is always a chance’ and he seems to hit the ball. He has a bold style.”