Ko Jin-young on Oct. 24 holds a cake celebrating her milestone of winning Korea's 200th LPGA title after claiming the BMW LPGA tours of the U.S. held at LPGA International Busan in Gijang-gun County, Busan. (Yonhap News)

By Jung Joo-ri and Yoon Hee Young

Ko Jin-young has earned Korea's 200th title on the Ladies' Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour of the U.S.

On Oct. 24, she shot an eight-under 64 with eight birdies and no bogey in the fourth round at the BMW Ladies Championship held at LPGA International Busan (par 72) in Gijang-gun County, Busan. Finishing at 22-under 266, Ko beat runner-up Lim Hee-jeong with a birdie in a sudden-death playoff.

Ko thus claimed the 200th LPGA Tour win by a Korean player 33 years after Ku Ok-hee won the first in 1988. Korea is just the second country with 200 wins on the tour after the U.S.

Over the 33-year period, 48 Korean golfers have won on the LPGA Tour, led by Pak Seri with 25 victories, followed by Park In-bee with 21 and Kim Sei-young 12. Ko is tied for fourth with Shin Ji-yai with 11.

In Busan, Ko earned prize money of USD 300,000 (KRW 350 million) and regained the LPGA's top ranking from Nelly Korda of the U.S., who was ranked No. 1 in late June.

Ko is also the first this year to win four LPGA titles: the Volunteers of America Classic in July, the Cambia Portland Classic last month, the Cognizant Founders Cup on Oct. 10 and the BMW tournament on Oct. 24.

In an interview after her win, she said, "It was my first playoff since turning pro, so I played with a sense of excitement," adding, "I consider it very special to win the 200th LPGA Tour title by a Korean player."

etoilejr@korea.kr