Ma Seoyeong wins first KLPGA title at Iceberg Golf-Seoul Shinmun Open in playoff
In short
Ma Seoyeong (마서영) won the KLPGA Tour's Iceberg Golf·Seoul Shinmun Open on 18 October at H1 Club in Icheon, beating Seong Yu-jin (성유진) on the second playoff hole. Both finished on 4-under 212 after Ma shot a 1-over 73 in wind and rain. It was Ma's first tour win, in her 83rd start, according to Kukmin Ilbo, Kyunghyang Shinmun and Chosun Ilbo.
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Ma Seoyeong (마서영) won the Iceberg Golf·Seoul Shinmun Open, a KLPGA Tour event with total prize money of 1.5 billion won, on 18 October at H1 Club in Icheon, Gyeonggi (par 72). She beat Seong Yu-jin (성유진) on the second playoff hole, the 18th (par 4), according to Yonhap, Newsis, Asia Economy, Kyunghyang Shinmun and Chosun Ilbo. [ 13 , 14 , 17 , 21 , 22 ]
Ma began the final round one stroke ahead and shot 73, with two birdies and three bogeys, to finish on 4-under 212, level with Seong. Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that she made 13 straight pars from the sixth hole, in wind and rain, and that Seong took the sole lead with a birdie on the 14th before bogeys on the 15th and 16th. Both made par on the first playoff hole. On the second, Kyunghyang Shinmun and Chosun Ilbo reported that Ma put her second shot 8.4 metres from the hole and two-putted for par, while Seong went over the green, chipped and missed a 5.2-metre par putt for bogey. [ 14 , 17 , 21 , 22 ]
Ma received 270 million won. Kukmin Ilbo and Newsis said she also gained 90 points in the season points race. Asia Economy, Kyunghyang Shinmun and Chosun Ilbo said the win secured her tour entry rights through the 2028 season; Asia Economy and Chosun Ilbo said she had been 56th on the money list before the event and worried about next year. Outlets differ on her new money-list rank: Newsis and Kyunghyang Shinmun say 22nd, Kukmin Ilbo says 27th. [ 9 , 14 , 17 , 21 , 22 ]
On 17 October Ma had taken the lead after the second round at 5-under 139 with a round of one under par, moving up from a tie for second. Roh Seung-hee (노승희) was one stroke behind on 4-under 140. Newsis and Dong-A Ilbo reported that Ma said she did not feel very nervous and would play calmly in her first final group. [ 4 , 7 , 8 ]
Kukmin Ilbo, Kyunghyang Shinmun and Chosun Ilbo reported that it was Ma's first win, in her 83rd start; Kyunghyang Shinmun and Chosun Ilbo called her the first champion of the event. Kyunghyang Shinmun said she debuted on the regular tour in 2023, lost her seed, played the Dream Tour in 2024 and regained her place through the seed qualifying event last November, and that her best finish before this event was a tie for ninth, twice. Ma told Chosun Ilbo that weight training the previous winter added distance to her shots. [ 9 , 21 , 22 ]
After the win Ma said she had thought only talented players win and hoped players who think they lack golf talent would take hope from her, according to Kukmin Ilbo, Kyunghyang Shinmun and Chosun Ilbo. Newsis, citing the KLPGA, quoted her as saying she had lacked natural talent but had the talent to hang on to the end. Lee Ye-won (이예원) and Kim Si-hyeon (김시현) tied for third on 3-under 213. Asia Economy reported on 20 October that Ma's world ranking rose from 338th to 186th. [ 9 , 17 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 26 ]
Why it matters
The win brought Ma 270 million won and, according to several outlets, tour entry rights through the 2028 season, after she had worried about keeping her place for next year. Outlets also reported that her world ranking rose from 338th to 186th.
Key facts
- Ma Seoyeong beat Seong Yu-jin on the second playoff hole, the 18th (par 4), at the Iceberg Golf·Seoul Shinmun Open, which has total prize money of 1.5 billion won. [ 13 , 14 , 17 , 21 , 22 ]
- Ma shot 73 (two birdies, three bogeys) in the final round on 18 October at H1 Club in Icheon, Gyeonggi (par 72), finishing on 4-under 212, level with Seong. [ 14 , 17 , 21 , 22 ]
- Ma took the 2nd-round lead on 17 October with a 5-under 139 total, moving up from a tie for second. [ 4 , 7 , 8 ]
- Ma received a winner's prize of 270 million won, and Kukmin Ilbo and Newsis add 90 points in the season points race. [ 9 , 14 , 17 , 21 ]
- Asia Economy, Kyunghyang Shinmun and Chosun Ilbo reported that the win secured Ma's tour entry rights through the 2028 season. [ 17 , 21 , 22 ]
- Lee Ye-won (이예원) and Kim Si-hyeon (김시현) tied for third on 3-under 213. [ 14 , 17 , 21 , 22 ]
- Ma's world ranking rose from 338th to 186th in the list published on 20 October. [ 26 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Ma Seoyeong won the Iceberg Golf·Seoul Shinmun Open on the second playoff hole, beating Seong Yu-jin after both finished the regulation 54 holes on 4-under 212. [ 9 , 13 , 14 , 17 , 21 , 22 ]
- Ma led after the second round on 17 October at 5-under 139, one stroke ahead of Roh Seung-hee (노승희). [ 4 , 7 , 8 ]
- The final round was played in strong wind and rain. [ 9 , 17 , 21 , 22 ]
- The win was Ma's first on the KLPGA Tour. [ 9 , 13 , 14 , 21 , 22 ]
- Ma is the first champion of this tournament, according to Kyunghyang Shinmun and Chosun Ilbo. [ 21 , 22 ]
- Ma won 270 million won and 90 season points. [ 9 , 14 ]
- Before the tournament Ma was 56th on the season money list and worried about keeping next year's entry rights; the win secured entry through the 2028 season. [ 17 , 22 , 26 ]
Still unclear
- Ma's money-list position after the win. Newsis and Kyunghyang Shinmun say she rose from 56th to 22nd with season earnings of 442,338,333 won; Kukmin Ilbo says she rose 29 places to 27th.
- Details of the second playoff hole. Kyunghyang Shinmun and Chosun Ilbo put Ma's second shot 8.4 metres from the hole, Kukmin Ilbo says 9 metres. Kukmin Ilbo says Seong's third shot ran 6 metres past the hole, while Kyunghyang Shinmun and Chosun Ilbo say she missed a 5.2-metre par putt after a chip. Newsis says Seong's second shot ended in the rough, while other outlets say it went over the green.
- When Ma's second joint-ninth finish of the season came. Asia Economy says the Aurora World Championship was in July; Newsis says August.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- On 17 October Yonhap reports that Ma has taken sole lead after round two at 5-under 139. [ 4 ]
- On 18 October Yonhap reports that Ma has won after the second playoff hole. [ 13 ]
- Newsis reports that Ma shot 73 in the final round, finished 4-under 212 and beat Seong with a par on the second playoff hole. [ 14 ]
- Chosun Ilbo reports Ma's win in her 83rd tour start and her quotes after the round. [ 22 ]
- On 20 October Asia Economy reports that Ma has risen from 338th to 186th in the world ranking. [ 26 ]