Lee Ye-won
| Lee Ye-won | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||||
| Born | 13 February 2003 | ||||
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) | ||||
| Sporting nationality |  South Korea | ||||
| Career | |||||
| Turned professional | 2021 | ||||
| Current tour(s) | LPGA of Korea Tour | ||||
| Former tour(s) | Jump Tour Dream Tour | ||||
| Professional wins | 10 | ||||
| Number of wins by tour | |||||
| LPGA of Korea Tour | 9 | ||||
| Other | 1 | ||||
| Best results in LPGA major championships | |||||
| Chevron Championship | DNP | ||||
| Women's PGA C'ship | DNP | ||||
| U.S. Women's Open | DNP | ||||
| Women's British Open | DNP | ||||
| Evian Championship | CUT: 004 | ||||
| Achievements and awards | |||||
| |||||
Lee Ye-won (Korean: 이예원; born 13 February 2003), also known as Ye Won Lee, is a South Korean professional golfer who plays on the LPGA of Korea Tour. In May 2025, Lee was ranked 25th in the world in the Women's World Golf Rolex Rankings.
Amateur career
[edit]Lee was noticed early as a standout amateur player, being named to the Korean National team as a junior player in 2016 and 2018.[1] As an amateur, she won 12 Korean and international competitions including the 2018 KB Financial Group Cup Women's Amateur Golf Championship, 2019 Hosim Cup Amateur Golf Championship, and the 2020 Bitgoeul Jungheung Cup Amateur Golf Championship.[1]
Professional career
[edit]Lee turned professional in 2021 at age 17, participating in the Jump Tour and then took part in 10 tournaments on the Dream Tour,[2] qualifying tours for the LPGA of Korea. After earning her tour card, in 2022, Lee started her rookie season on the LPGA of Korea tour.[3] Her highest placing that season was a second at the Doosan Match Play Championship and the Ok Financial Group Se Ri Pak Invitational. Despite her winless season, Lee was confirmed as the KLGPA Rookie of the Year.[4]
The 2023 LPGA of Korea Tour became Lee's breakout season.[5] That year, Lee recorded three wins.[6] She placed first at the 23rd Hite Jinro Championship, the Doosan E&C We've Championship, and the Lotte Rent A Car Ladies Open.[7]
The following year, in the 2024, Lee marked wins at the NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship,[8][9] Suhyup-Bank MBN Ladies Open, and the Blue Canyon Ladies Championship.[10][11] That year, the Korean golf press regularly compared Lee with Ina Yoon, as the players competed for the top of the KLPGA leaderboard.[12][13] That year, Lee qualified for the Evian Championship, but did not make the cut. She placed third in the 2024 World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup on the LPGA of Japan Tour. Lee finished the KPLGA season with the most wins in a season, most prize money, and the top of the leaderboard.[14]
The 2025 season on the LPGA of Korea tour began strongly for Lee.[15] In 2025, Lee won the 17th Doosan Match Play, the NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship and the Doosan E&C We've Championship. After Lee's win in the 17th Doosan Match Play, she was ranked a career high 25 in the world according to the Rolex Rankings.[16] In June, Lee surpassed 800 millon won in prize money for the season, after the DB Group 29th Korea Women's Open Golf Championship.[17]
Amateur wins
[edit]- 2020 Bitgoeuljungheung Cup
Source:[18]
Professional wins (10)
[edit]LPGA of Korea Tour wins (9)
[edit]- 2023 Lotte Rent-a-Car Women's Open, Doosan E&C We've Championship, Hite Championship
- 2024 Blue Canyon Ladies Championship, NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship, Suhyup Bank – MBN Ladies Open
- 2025 Doosan E&C We've Championship, NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship, Doosan Match Play
Dream Tour wins (1)
[edit]- 2021 QCapital Partners Dream Challenge 1st
Team appearances
[edit]Amateur
- Queen Sirikit Cup (representing South Korea): 2019 (winners)
References
[edit]- ^ a b Joo, Mi-hee (11 September 2021). "KB금융 스타챔피언십 2R 선두, 18세 여고생 이예원은 누구?" [Who is 18-year-old high school girl Lee Ye-won, the leader of the 2nd round of the KB Financial Group Star Championship?]. Golf Digest Korea. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "예사롭지 않은 여자 골프 10대 돌풍 이예원". mobile.jtbcgolf.joins.com. 11 September 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ 조선일보 (17 November 2022). "언니들 넘어선 '역대급 루키'의 탄생, KLPGA '이예원의 시대' 열릴까". 조선일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ Han, Lee-jeong (30 October 2022). "이예원, 2022시즌 신인왕 확정 "남은 대회서 생애 첫 승 목표"" [Lee Ye-won, confirmed as 2022 season Rookie of the Year “Goal of first win in remaining competitions”]. Golf Digest Korea.
- ^ 고봉준 (10 April 2023). "우승 없던 작년 신인왕 이예원, KLPGA 첫 정상". 중앙일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ Han, Lee-jeong (19 November 2023). "이예원, 위믹스챔피언십 우승 '올해는 내 것'" [Lee Ye-won, WEMIX Championship Winner 'This Year is Mine']. Golf Digest Korea.
- ^ 권훈 (9 November 2023). "KLPGA '대세' 이예원 "내년엔 비거리 5야드 증가가 목표＂ | 연합뉴스". 연합뉴스 (in Korean). Archived from the original on 19 November 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ 김양희 (12 May 2024). "이예원 KLPGA 투어 시즌 2승…윤이나는 3타 차 2위". 한겨레 (in Korean). Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ 성호준 (19 July 2024). "트와이스에도 안 밀렸다…'킬러 본능' 이예원의 두 얼굴". 중앙일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "이예원, 10억 돌파 보인다...이틀 연속 선두". 한국경제 (in Korean). 23 August 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ 성호준 (17 March 2024). "올해도 이예원 천하? 블루캐니언 역전 우승". 중앙일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ 조선일보 (12 May 2024). "이예원, 윤이나 제치고 'KLPGA NH투자증권 챔피언십' 우승". 조선일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ Choi, Soo-hyun (5 December 2024). "이예원, 윤이나 추격 뿌리치고 '와이어 투 와이어'... 시즌 2승" [Lee Ye-won, Yoon Ina shake off the pursuit and 'wire to wire'... 2nd win of the season]. Chosun Daily.
- ^ "21세 이예원 '노 보기' 시즌 3승… 대상-상금-다승 선두". 동아일보 (in Korean). 3 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "'나홀로 다승 질주' 이예원 "퍼트와 체력 앞세워 한국여자오픈서 시즌4승 쓸것"". 동아일보 (in Korean). 11 June 2025. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Ye Won Lee". Rolex Rankings. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "'10개 대회서 3승' 이예원 "한국여자오픈 우승해 첫 4승 목표"". 동아일보 (in Korean). 12 June 2025. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Ye Won Lee". World Amateur Golf Ranking. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
External links
[edit]- Ye Won Lee at the Women's World Golf Rankings official site
- Lee Yewon at K-Rankings
- Yewon Lee at Seoul Sisters