Korea recently received its first-ever Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Champion, and the 18-year-old Yang Yun-seo ensured that she was the one to bring the glory to her country.

Yun-seo achieved the exceptional feat on Saturday, February 15, by becoming the first Korean golfer to win the tournament. The 18-year-old shot a final round 69 at Royal Wellington Golf Club in New Zealand. She won by eight shots, despite playing in strong and difficult wind conditions.

Her eight-shot victory matched the championship record. Yang also became the first player in WAAP history to lead in all four rounds and win.

Following her victory Yun-seo said, "I came into the championship knowing there were no Korean winners before. So, I was motivated to win this. I'm happy with this." 

The win meant even more for Korea after three straight years of heartbreak. However, the 2026 season of the tournament became a glorious won as another Korean, Kim Min-sol, finished second.

Korea's Lee Hyo-song came up short of the victory in 2024, and Oh Soo-min lost in 2025 before finishing runner-up again this year. Yang’s victory finally ended that painful streak.

Yang's win hands her spots in three major championships this year. She'll play the AIG Women's Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, the Amundi Evian Championship in France, and the Chevron Championship in the United States.

One Hole Changed Everything for Yang Yun-seo and Oh Soo-min

Oh Soo Min actually had a chance to make it interesting on Saturday. The Korean golfer, ranked 11th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, moved to within one shot early in the final round. She made a birdie on the 8th hole to tie Yang, but Yang quickly responded with a birdie on the ninth to take control again.

Then the 14th hole happened.

Yang drove the green on the short par-4 and knocked in a 12-footer for eagle. Oh hit her tee shot out of bounds and made double-bogey. Just like that, a four-shot swing. The tournament was over.

Oh saw the bright side of her defeat against her compatriot and said, "I had a great experience in New Zealand. It was a windy day," Oh said. "I have a lot of regrets, but I will use it as a driving force for my future growth."

What do you think about Yang’s historic win for Korea? Can she make a big impact at the three major championships she has now qualified for? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Written by

Sneha Abraham

Edited by

Souvik Roy