“I do my best in what I can do first… and I believe that I will one day become the LPGA Tour champion,” said Choi Hye-Jin recently. Her name is not the one you’ve missed, if you’ve been following women’s golf in the past few years. The unflappable calm and the gentle smile that Choi brings to the course cannot go unnoticed. She’s one of South Korea’s brightest exports to the LPGA Tour. Her rise, of course, was not overnight, and that is why we must dive into her life.

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From Gimhae to golf glory

Born on August 23rd, 1999, in the southern Korean city of Gimhae, Choi Hye-Jin grew up in a country where golf is almost a national art form. South Korea produces golfing talent like few others—Park In-bee, Kim Sei-young, and Ko Jin-young. Among them, Choi stood out early.

She started swinging clubs as a child and was competing nationally before she was even in high school. By fifteen, she was representing her country at the 2014 Asian Games, bringing home a silver medal. A year later, she was winning world junior championships. Words spread around, and a “prodigy” was formed.

In 2016, Choi claimed the Canadian Women’s Amateur, and a year later, she finished as runner-up as an amateur at the US Women’s Open. At just seventeen, she nearly became the first amateur in decades to win the major. Her win had even Donald Trump talking:

“I’ve never seen an amateur player play this well. It’s very interesting.”

After her 18th birthday, Choi decided to turn pro, and it was stunning.

KLPGA queen to LPGA contender

Her decision was an instant hit, as in the next 3 years (2017-2020), she picked up 12 victories, swept major Korean awards like the CreaS F&C KLPGA Championship, and topped the money list twice. By 2019, she had landed major endorsement deals with Lotte Group and other similar Korean giants.

If she had stayed in Korea, her life would have been comfortable. There was fame, financial security, and an adoring fan base. But Choi Hye-Jin decided to test herself on the bigger stage—the LPGA. She earned her LPGA card through the Q-Series in 2022.

Unfortunately, the transition was not all smooth. When made to compete against the world’s best, she was forced to start from scratch. She did rack up top-10 finishes (a T5 at the 2022 Women’s PGA Championship) and a reputation for consistency (25 cuts in 29 starts by 2025), but that first LPGA win has remained elusive.

This forced Choi Hye-Jin to make a bold decision. In early 2025, she decided to completely rebuild her swing. Imagine spending twenty years mastering one way of hitting the ball and then suddenly choosing to unlearn it. That’s exactly what Choi did.

She started training 12 hours a day, working on the approach shot around the green.

“I spent a lot of time learning the most basic approach shot method to play the same shot under any circumstances,” she said once.

The result of this was positive. In 2025, she registered a T4 finish at the US Women’s Open, a runner-up finish at the Meijer LPGA Classic, and a T7 at the BMW Ladies Championship. Overall, she gained eight top-10 finishes in 2025, which propelled her official earnings to $1.8 million.

The ‘Penguin’ who keeps her cool

If you’ve ever watched Choi on the course, you’ll notice something instantly. The lack of frustration, no rush, and calm confidence with which she carries herself. All of this has earned her the nickname “Penguin.”

There’s another tag, but that’s rather infamous. Known to be equally emotional, Choi is called a crybaby every time she wins.

“I think I will shed tears of emotion if I win my first LPGA tour…I’ll cry without realizing it,” she said once.

The 26-year-old is not one for flashy social media antics or tabloid drama. Her family and personal life often stay hidden. She has an Instagram account with just 33k followers. Yet, she stands on the edge of global superstardom. Choi Hye-Jin is a major threat and one likely to shape the next era of women’s golf.