Former World No. 1s Yani Tseng, Jiyai Shin and Ariya Jutanugarn were among those who attended the wedding.
Lydia Ko capped off a dreamy 2022 by marrying her sweetheart on Dec. 30 at the Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul, South Korea. The current World No. 1 shared several images from the ceremony on Instagram, as did a number of top players who attended the wedding.
Ko confirmed her engagement to Jun Chung, son of Ted Chung, vice chairman and CEO, Hyundai Card, Hyundai Commercial, over the summer. Jun Chung works in finance for Hyundai and has a home in San Francisco.
He watched Ko win in person for the first time at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, where the Kiwi clinched the Rolex LPGA Player of the Year Award, Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average, the money title and her third LPGA victory of the season. She’s now only two points shy of the 27 needed to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame.
“I think he motivates and inspires me to become a better person and a better player.” said Ko after the CME win.
Former No. 1s Yani Tseng, Inbee Park, Jiyai Shin and Ariya Jutanugarn were among those who attended the wedding in South Korea.
The LPGA season kicks off Jan. 19 with the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, where Ko has a home.
Here are a few Instagram social snaps from Ko’s special day:
The 22-year-old is looking like one of the World Cup’s breakout stars
Mohammed Kudus came to this World Cup full of confidence. Two games in, it’s easy to see why.
Kudus has been one of the breakout stars in the early going, tallying an assist for Ghana in an opening loss to Portugal before scoring a pair of goals in a wild 3-2 win over South Korea on Monday.
The 22-year-old playmaker netted a first-half header to give his side a 2-0 lead. But South Korea struck back in the second half, with Cho Gue-sung scoring two quick goals to equalize.
Kudus was not done, however, and he swept home a 68th-minute goal to complete his brace and give Ghana the winner it so desperately needed after falling in its opener.
2 – At 22 years and 118 days old, Mohammed Kudus is the second youngest African player to score two goals in a World Cup match, after Ahmed Musa (21y 254d) for Nigeria against Argentina in 2014. Kudos. pic.twitter.com/4xkKDkJQLH
Prior to the World Cup, Kudus told The Guardian of Neymar, a player he and his teammates could see in the knockout round: “He’s not better than me. He’s just a higher profile player, that’s all,”
Kudus has made a name for himself at Ajax after his 2020 arrival from Danish side Nordsjælland. The 22-year-old operates as a No. 10 who is equally comfortable scoring goals or creating them. His exploits in the Netherlands has led to interest from big clubs abroad, which will only be amplified by his first two games in Qatar.
Kudus knows he hasn’t reached the heights that Neymar has during his career. But he’s making steady progress and as his first two World Cup games have shown, it may not be a good idea to bet against him.
“What makes [Neymar] better, for now, is that he has achieved a lot,” Kudus said. I’ll get there soon.”
With that in mind we should take every opportunity to celebrate the rare bit of good news, which Son Heung-min thankfully provided on Wednesday.
Son suffered a fracture around his left eye earlier this month with Tottenham, leaving his status for the World Cup very much in doubt after he underwent surgery.
But the South Korea star took to Instagram on Wednesday to reassure nervous fans that he is set to take part in the tournament in Qatar.
“Hi everyone. I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you all for the messages of support I have received over the last week,” Son wrote.
“I have read so many of them and truly, truly appreciate you all. In a tough time I received a lot of strength from you! Playing for your country at the World Cup is the dream of so many children growing up, just as it was one of mine too. I won’t miss this for the world. I can’t wait to represent our beautiful country, see you soon.”
South Korea will open the World Cup against Uruguay on November 24, and will also face Portugal and Ghana in Group H.
A 19-year-old rookie holds a one-shot lead over a 16-year-old amateur at BMW in South Korea.
Atthaya Thitikul says she’s not thinking about awards, but her opening 9-under 63 set a tournament record at the BMW Ladies Championship at Oak Valley Country Club in South Korea and certainly added fuel to the Rolex Player of the Year conversation.
It stood in stark contrast to World No. 1 Jin Young Ko’s opening 80. Ko took two months off to heal a bum wrist and struggled mightily in her first round back, making a 10 on the par-5 18th after a wayward tee shot. She also recorded six bogeys.
“Golf can be like this,” Ko told South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. “Things don’t always go the way I want them to. I did the best I could. Whatever the final score is, it’s on me to accept that and to figure out where I can get better. I will try to stay positive to get ready for the remaining rounds.”
Ko, who won this tournament last year on a different course, said she didn’t want to make any excuses with her wrist, saying her goal is to wrap up the tournament playing pain-free. She’s tied for 76th in a field of 78. There is no cut.
Jin Young Ko of South Korea prepares to play her second shot out of the rough on the 18th fairway during the first round of the BMW Ladies Championship at Oak Valley Country Club on October 20, 2022 in Wonju, South Korea. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
In 2017, Sung Hyun Park became the first player since Nancy Lopez (1978) to win both the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award and Player of the Year award in the same season.
Thitikul looks to win her third title of the season this week at the BMW, which would make her the No. 1 player in the Rolex Rankings, overtaking Jin Young Ko. She could also ascend to the top if she finishes solo fourth or better and No. 3 Minjee Lee doesn’t win.
Thitikul’s bogey-free 63 included a hole-out for eagle on the par-4 13th from 102 yards.
“I had a great round today, really solid round today,” said Thitikul, “especially had eagles. First time I holed out in a competition round.”
Thitikul, 19, holds a one-stroke lead over 16-year-old amateur Minsol Kim, who shot 64, making seven birdies in a span of eight holes.
“When I was younger, I actually came as a gallery (member) to watch the BMW Ladies Championship, and I remember thinking that Sung Hyun Park was really cool,” said Kim. “So today to play side-by-side with her, think it was a real honor. Initially, I was really nervous (today) but after the first hole, I thought that it was quite fun, and so I wasn’t really feeling the pressure, and I was enjoying myself. I think that really helped me today.”
In Gee Chun won’t tee it up at home this week in South Korea at the BMW Ladies Championship. The three-time major champion took a four-week break from her golf clubs after an MRI and X-ray tests showed inflammation in the shoulder area and a diagnosis of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, according to her longtime coach Won Park.
Chun, 28, last competed on the LPGA in August at the CP Women’s Open in Canada. Her last start came in mid-September at the KB Financial Group Star Championship on the KLPGA. In addition to this week’s BMW, Chun missed the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America and Mediheal Championship as a result of injury.
In Gee Chun holds the trophy after wining the 2022 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. (Photo: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports)
Chun won the KPMG Women’s PGA at Congressional in June and lost in a playoff at the AIG Women’s British Open at Muirfield in August. She’s currently ranked No. 7 in the world.
Chun plans to return to the LPGA for the Pelican Women’s Championship in mid-November as well as the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, where the winner receives $2 million.
In Seoul, tourists can easily get overwhelmed by all the incredible sights open to visitors. With a list of attractions including historic palaces, sky-scraping towers, and bustling markets, the city offers endless ways to explore and enjoy your visit. While these fascinating destinations are worth a visit, travelers should take care not to let them overshadow one major must-visit landmark in Seoul. The Han River (also known as the Hangang River, or simply Hangang) cuts through the city and offers tons of stunning sights along its path. Tourists seeking the full Seoul experience can enjoy the Han River’s beauty at these four scenic locations.
Former Nets player Rondae Hollis-Jefferson signed with South Korean team KCC Egis for the 2022-23 season. Source: Alberto De Roa @ HoopsHype More on this storyline The Golden State Warriors are bringing in several veteran free agents for workouts …
