Inbee Park Wins 21st LPGA Tour Title At Kia Classic

The Korean eased to her 21st LPGA Tour title after a five stroke win at the Kia Classic

Inbee Park Wins 21st LPGA Tour Title At Kia Classic
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Korean eased to her 21st LPGA Tour title after a five stroke win at the Kia Classic

Inbee Park Wins 21st LPGA Tour Title At Kia Classic

Inbee Park stormed to her 21st LPGA Tour victory at the Kia Classic, winning the event wire-to-wire by five strokes from Lexi Thompson and Amy Olsen.

The Korean, making her first start of 2021, led from day one in California after a 66 and closed out the win with a 70 to finish at 14 under par.

Inbee is now just four LPGA Tour titles away from matching her fellow Korean legend Se Ri Pak's total of 25 victories.

"She's somebody that I always looked up to when I was growing up, and obviously she's always big in my heart," Park said.

"Trying to follow her footstep is always a great thing. Really happy that I'm getting close.

"It was a great week this week. It was my first week back out in three months or so, and I played so good.

"I mean, I couldn't believe how I was doing out there this week.

"I thought this week was just kind of a preparation for next week, but I exceeded so much more. I'm just really happy."

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The event marked the return of Michelle Wie, who hadn't teed it up on tour since her early exit from the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in June 2019.

Wie revealed that she thought her career was over due to injuries and having a baby, but she is back and ready to tee it up in this week's ANA Inspiration.

The American missed the cut after playing the first 36 holes in 11 over.

England's Mel Reid was the highest-finishing Brit at the Kia Classic in T26th.

Reid, who won her maiden LPGA Tour title last year, fell away on Sunday after a closing 77.

"Golf course beat me up today," Reid posted on social media.

A photo posted by on

The LPGA Tour heads to Mission Hills this week for the year's first Major at the ANA Inspiration.

Mirim Lee defends the title she won last year after edging out Brooke Henderson and Nelly Korda in a playoff.

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV