[AP/Yonhap News Photo]
South Korea has confirmed the top seed in an upcoming international women's golf competition as its four-player roster is also set.
The organizers of the UL International Crown said that South Korea is ranked No. 1 among eight qualified countries for the team golf tournament, which will take place at the Merit Club outside Chicago on July 22-24. The eight countries for the event were already finalized after the ANA Inspiration in early April based on the world ranking positions of their four best players. However, the final seeds and the roster were to be confirmed based on the world rankings after the KPMG Women's PGA Championship on Sunday (local time).
The cumulative team score for the seeding was determined by the four players' rankings -- the lower the tally the better. South Korea secured the first place with 22 points -- with No. 3 Park In-bee, No. 5 Kim Sei-young, No. 6 Chun In-gee and No. 8 Amy Yang.
Yang joined the South Korean squad after edging out Jang Ha-na in the last minute. Yang, whose Korean first name is Hee-young, was No. 9, while Jang was No. 8 before the Women's PGA Championship. But she finished seventh in the major tournament and moved a spot up in her world rankings, while Jang tied for 30th and slipped to No. 10.
Jang, who has two wins in the LPGA Tour this season, will be given the opportunity to play at the International Crown only if a player in the South Korean squad withdraws.
Jang could replace Park who has battled back and finger injuries all season and missed the cut at the Women's PGA Championship last Friday. The new LPGA Hall of Fame inductee has hinted last week that she may give someone else a chance to play at international competitions, including the Rio de Janeiro Summer Games, if she isn't healthy enough to compete.
(Yonhap)
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
