Golf can be a cruel game in many ways, be it the constant mental pressure or early promises that offer no guarantee of lasting success. Jang Eun-so discovered that reality more painfully than most. The 2017 KLPGA Rookie of the Year had to wait close to a decade, and 187 regular-tour starts, for her first victory. Amid those ten years, she lost her tour card, returned to the second-tier Dream Tour, and wondered if she should continue.

But that wait was finally over when she won the Jeju Samdasoo Masters 2026, which she said was “truly joyful” as she broke down in tears.

“I am naturally optimistic and always thought ‘I can do it,’ but after the 2024 season ended, I had strong thoughts like ‘Maybe I just can’t make it anymore,'” Jang Eun-so said, according to the KLPGA. “I told my coach many times that I thought I should quit golf. At that time, my coach said that since my golf has improved so much, quitting now would surely lead to regret and believed I could continue. Trusting those words and continuing to challenge myself seems to have led to today’s positive result.”

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The South Korean professional produced a composed comeback at the Teddy Valley Golf & Resort in Seogwipo, Jeju. After the first three rounds, she was one stroke behind leader Kang Chae-yeon. However, she closed the gap with a bogey-free 3-under-par 69. The final round that got her the win featured three birdies. Her cumulative score across all four rounds was 14-under 274, which she achieved with rounds of 71, 67, 67 and 69.

With the win, Jang Eun-so also won the winner’s prize of 180 million won from a total purse of 1 billion won. The most decisive stretch came on the back nine of the final round. She made an important birdie putt on the 16th hole to become a solo leader. Moon Jeong-min, who finished tied for runner-up, applied pressure with birdies on the 17th and 18th. But Jang Eun-so held her nerve and made par on the final hole for the victory.

This win came after a dark time in her career. When she went back to the Dream Tour, she felt a deep sense of emptiness. She said she felt like everything she had done all these years went to waste, and she was starting all over again. However, she then gained confidence with her good performances on the Dream Tour. Therefore, she wasn’t worried about gaining tour status.

While many stars wouldn’t know what caused it all, Eun-so was completely aware of it. During her post-round interview, she noted that it was her ambition that got in her way. After winning Rookie of the Year in 2017, she started changing many aspects of her game, including her swing, and it affected her game.

But now that she has finally won her first KLPGA title, she is confident that she can get more in the near future. While she has not thought much about the distant future, she wants to win one more event before the season ends. In fact, although many have told her that since it has already been ten years, she is starting to get old. However, she has not thought about it that way.

“I hope to continue playing golf and pursuing my career as a player for a long time,” she added.

After coming so close to giving up, Jang Eun-so’s first KLPGA victory is a reminder that persistence can turn doubt into the most rewarding moment of a career.