Hee Young Park Bio
Hee Young Park (Korean: 박희영; born 24 May 1987) is a South Korean professional golfer who competed on the LPGA Tour. Nicknamed “Rocket,” she turned professional in 2004 and built her early reputation on the LPGA of Korea Tour, where she claimed six titles and was named the 2005 Rookie of the Year. After earning her LPGA Tour card through qualifying school in 2007, Park went on to win three times on the LPGA Tour and represented South Korea in amateur competition before completing her career following the 2025 season.
Throughout her career, Park was recognized for her steady ball-striking and competitive consistency across multiple tours. Her total of ten professional victories spans the LPGA Tour, the LPGA of Korea Tour, the Ladies Asian Golf Tour, and the WPGA Tour of Australasia, reflecting a career that bridged Asian and international competition.
Early Life and Background
Hee Young Park was born on 24 May 1987 in South Korea. She grew up in a country with a deep amateur and professional golf tradition, which gave her early access to coaching, competitive junior events, and high-level amateur play. Standing 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m), Park developed her game within that strong national pipeline.
As an amateur, Park was a three-time member of the South Korean National team, an honor that reflected her standing among the country’s top young players. She was also twice a runner-up in the South Korea Amateur Open, results that further confirmed her potential and helped prepare her for the transition to the professional ranks.
Path to Professional Golf
Park turned professional in 2004, joining the LPGA of Korea Tour the following season. Her 2005 campaign was a breakthrough: she won three times on the KLPGA, an outstanding start that earned her the KLPGA Rookie of the Year award for 2005. She added two more KLPGA titles in 2006, demonstrating that her rookie form was no fluke.
With six Korean Tour wins to her name, Park set her sights on the LPGA Tour. She earned her tour card at the 2007 LPGA qualifying school, opening the door to compete at the highest level of women’s golf.
Hee Young Park Career
Early Career (2004–2007)
Park began her professional career on the LPGA of Korea Tour, where she made an immediate impact. Her three-win rookie season in 2005 established her as one of the top emerging players in Korean women’s golf, and her continued success in 2006 reinforced her growing reputation.
By the end of 2007, Park had six KLPGA titles to her name and an LPGA Tour card earned through qualifying school, completing a strong development phase that positioned her for the international stage.
LPGA Tour Breakthrough (2008–2014)
Park played her first full LPGA Tour season in 2008, entering 28 events and making 22 cuts. Her best finish that year was a T4, and she earned $474,744 to finish 35th on the tour’s money list, a strong debut that confirmed her ability to compete week in and week out on the LPGA.
Her breakthrough moment came on 20 November 2011, when she won her first LPGA Tour event, the CME Group Titleholders, finishing two shots ahead of Paula Creamer and Sandra Gal. Two years later, in July 2013, Park claimed her second LPGA title at the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic in Canada. Tied with Angela Stanford at 258 (–26) after 72 holes, the two went to a sudden-death playoff on the par-5 18th hole, where Park’s birdies sealed the victory. A third LPGA win completed her career total on that tour.
Park also recorded several top finishes in the LPGA’s major championships, including a T2 at the 2013 Women’s British Open, a T7 at the 2013 Chevron Championship, a T4 at the 2016 Women’s PGA Championship, and a T9 at the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open. These results underlined her ability to perform on the game’s biggest stages.
Later Career (2015–2025)
Following her early breakthroughs, Park continued to compete on the LPGA Tour, maintaining her status as a consistent performer. She also represented South Korea in amateur team competition earlier in her career and remained a familiar presence on leaderboards across Asia and beyond.
Park retired following the 2025 season, closing a professional career that spanned more than two decades across multiple tours and continents.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Park’s most memorable achievements were her three-win rookie season on the KLPGA in 2005, her first LPGA victory at the 2011 CME Group Titleholders, and her playoff win at the 2013 Manulife Financial LPGA Classic. Her 2013 Women’s British Open runner-up finish remains one of the closest major-championship results of her career.
Hee Young Park Career Wins
Over the course of her professional career, Hee Young Park recorded ten victories across four tours: three on the LPGA Tour, six on the LPGA of Korea Tour, one on the Ladies Asian Golf Tour, and one on the WPGA Tour of Australasia. She also finished runner-up on several occasions in major championships and high-profile regular events, including a solo second place at the 2009 Honda LPGA Thailand.
LPGA Tour Highlights
Park’s first LPGA Tour win came at the 2011 CME Group Titleholders, where she finished two shots clear of Paula Creamer and Sandra Gal. Her second victory followed at the 2013 Manulife Financial LPGA Classic, secured in a sudden-death playoff against Angela Stanford. Her third LPGA title completed her career triple, and her LPGA Tour playoff record stood at 2–0.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the LPGA Tour, Park won six times on the LPGA of Korea Tour, including three titles during her 2005 rookie season. She also added victories on the Ladies Asian Golf Tour and the WPGA Tour of Australasia, and recorded strong finishes in LPGA majors, notably a T2 at the 2013 Women’s British Open and a T4 at the 2016 Women’s PGA Championship.
Hee Young Park Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Park comes from a family connected to South Korean professional golf. Her sister, Ju Young, played on the Korean LPGA Tour and began her rookie year on the LPGA Tour in 2015 after finishing tied for 11th at Stage III of LPGA Q School in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Personal Life
Park is a South Korean national who built her career competing across Asia, North America, and Australasia. Her sister Ju Young’s own professional path reflects a family connection to the sport that shaped Park’s development and long career in professional golf.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked the final chapter of Hee Young Park’s professional career on the LPGA Tour. Competing in her usual slate of events, she drew on the experience of more than two decades as a professional golfer.
Her season reflected the same steady, competitive approach that defined her career, with consistent play and the benefit of long-standing course knowledge built across many years on tour.
Following the conclusion of the 2025 season, Park retired from professional golf, leaving behind a legacy that includes ten professional victories across four tours, two LPGA Tour playoff wins without a loss, and memorable major-championship performances such as her T2 finish at the 2013 Women’s British Open.