"I definitely lack talent," but Ma Seo-young refused to give up: Her first victory after 83 attempts, sealed in a playoff [KLPGA]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Even severe weather could not stand in the way of Ma Seo-young (23·Rejuran). In her 83rd tournament, Ma experienced the thrill of her first victory.

Ma Seo-young claimed the title at the Iceberg Golf·Seoul Shinmun Open (total prize money of 1.5 billion won) on the KLPGA Tour, held at H1 Club (par 72) in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, on the 18th, by defeating Sung Yu-jin (Daebang Construction) on the second hole of the final round playoff.

Ma Seo-young, who debuted on the KLPGA regular tour in 2023, achieved her first victory in her fourth year, precisely at her 83rd tournament.

In her first season, Ma competed in 27 tournaments and missed the cut a staggering 25 times, ultimately failing to retain her tour card. She returned in 2025 but struggled again, missing the cut in 20 of 28 tournaments.

This season, she had already missed the cut eight times in the 25th tournaments she entered prior to this event. Her best result was a tie for ninth place at the Nexen·Saint Nine Masters and the Aurora World Championship, meaning she was not particularly prominent. However, by winning a late-season tournament with a first-place prize of 270 million won, she also alleviated concerns about her eligibility to compete on the tour next season.

Ma Seo-young started in a tie for second place after reducing her score by four strokes in the first round. In the second round, she managed her game steadily to cut one more stroke, taking sole lead heading into the final day.

She showed extreme fluctuation early in the day's play. She birdied the first hole (par 4), but on the second hole, her second shot landed in a penalty area, resulting in a penalty stroke. On the third hole (both par 4), she failed to reach the green with her third shot, ultimately committing consecutive bogeys.

She appeared to find stability by birdieing the fourth hole (par 4), but on the fifth hole (par 3), she missed a short putt and bogeyed again, relinquishing even the lead position.

The conditions were poor, with the round being suspended at times due to severe weather starting in the morning. It was not easy to protect her score in such circumstances, but Ma held par on all remaining holes thereafter.

Ultimately tying with Sung Yu-jin, Ma proceeded to a playoff. In the first playoff hole, the 18th (par 4), both players recorded pars. In the second playoff hole, Ma held par while Sung Yu-jin bogeyed, deciding the match.

After her victory, Ma could not hide her emotion. According to the tournament organizing committee, Ma said, "I still can't believe it; it feels like a dream," adding, "Right now, I cannot think of anything else but that."

Ma Seo-young evaluates herself as a hard worker. "When I compare myself to other players practicing, I have always thought my practice volume is by no means small," she said. "There were times when things didn't go well, and I practiced continuously from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m." She continued, "Even so, because it still didn't come together, I thought, 'I definitely lack natural talent.' Instead, I think I have talent for endurance. Rather than the intuitive talent in golf, I seem to have the talent to keep at it until the very end."

Perhaps thanks to such effort, her driving distance has increased significantly compared to last year, and her greens-in-regulation rate has improved. Ma said, "Playing on tour made me realize that I could not survive with my current driving distance. So, after last season ended, I did a lot of weight training in the winter. I worked out for two hours every single day without missing a day, and my distance naturally increased." She added, "As my iron distances also increased, I was able to attack the green with shorter clubs. As a result, my greens-in-regulation rate went up, leading to a good upward trend."

Although it was not guaranteed that she could retain her tour card, Ma played this tournament calmly. "The remaining two tournaments were very important for me," she explained. "However, I knew that worrying about such things would not yield good results, and my shot feel was very good, so I think I had a certain level of trust in myself." She added, "I thought that even if I didn't win, I could climb higher in the standings, so I did not waver greatly or get distracted."

She achieved her first top spot at a tournament with a 270 million won first-place prize. Ma said, "It really feels like a life-changing moment. The word 'victory' felt very distant to me and was always like a dream." She expressed confidence, saying, "With this victory as a starting point, I think I can grow by about ten steps. Because I have played and experienced in such a situation, I think I will be able to perform better in tense situations in the future."

She has now joined the ranks of winners. Her next goal is naturally another victory. Ma said, "It would be really great if I could add one more win in the remaining two tournaments." She added, "I also want to try playing while enjoying the game with a relaxed mind for the first time in a long while. Up until now, I have been playing under too much pressure. In the future, I want to become a golfer who can provide a positive influence on people."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original