Chun In-gee savors 'special' feelings in return to site of maiden LPGA major

Chun In-gee savors 'special' feelings in return to site of maiden LPGA major

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Preparing for the U.S. Women's Open this week on the same Pennsylvania course where she enjoyed her

LPGA breakthrough in 2015 has taken Chun In-gee on a trip down memory lane.

The Korean LPGA star will tee off at Lancaster Country Club in the city of Lancaster on Thursday

afternoon (local time). Nine years ago, Chun, not even an LPGA member at the time, defeated fellow

Korean Amy Yang by one stroke to win the U.S. Women's Open — Chun's first LPGA major and her first

LPGA win, 안전 period.

Fans in Lancaster were fully behind the little-known Korean golfer, then just 20 years old. And Chun has

embraced the community right back, to the point where she now calls Lancaster her second home.

In 2019, Chun launched the In Gee Chun Lancaster Country Club Educational Foundation, which has

awarded over $470,000 in scholarships to 70 recipients.

"I feel so special because I have so many good memories from here," Chun said Wednesday at her

pretournament press conference at the course. "After being on the tour for nine years, now I know how

special I feel to have this relationship with the Lancaster community and how much love I got from the

community here and the LCC members. I know how many people plan all the efforts to make the good golf

course. Amazing conditions here."

Chun said she grew up in a poor family in Korea and received help from other people along the way. And

after receiving so much love in Lancaster in 2015 — "Everyone was so kind," she said — Chun decided she

would give something back to the community.

"Luckily, I got an opportunity to make a foundation here. Now, I know how important it is to help the

people. That's how I grew up in Korea," Chun said. "I really appreciate all those opportunities I had from

here."

When she is not busy reconnecting with the Lancaster community, Chun will try to win her fourth career

major this week. Three of her four career LPGA titles so far have come at major tournaments.

Chun enjoyed her best performance of the season last week at the Mizuho Americas Open, where she tied

for 14th.

"The course has got longer this time, and I think the greens are firmer this year," Chun said of the par-70,

6,546-yard layout. Lancaster played at 6,483 yards in 2015. "But I have a lot more fans here than other

players. I feel it helps me a lot during this week."

Chun said the course will test every shot in the bag.

"I think a lot of players and caddies say it's a true major golf course," she said. "We need everything. We

need good tee shots, good game plan, good second shot, and absolutely, we need good skills around the

greens. The greens are so slopey, so we need good putting too. Everything is not easy from here."

Chun will play alongside Korean American Danielle Kang and American amateur Latanna Stone in the

opening round

 

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