Who is Annie Park? All You Need to Know About the LPGA Star Pro

Golf keeps producing spectacular players who are either keeping on a par with experienced golfers or breaking their records. It is hard to tell at a glance the potential of any golfer.

Nonetheless, the golfing community waits with bated breath during each and every tournament to see if it will be a rookie or a long-time pro who claims the victory. Each golfer has his or her specialty, which is an absolute delight to watch. One such extraordinary talent to graze the LPGA circuit since 2015 is Annie Park who is at present leading the Dana Open in Ohio. Let’s find out more about her.

Who is Annie Park and why is she famous?

Annie Park is one of the most prolific golfers to join the LPGA community after a successful stint during her Amateur days. She left her high school in New York with an 18th rank by the American Junior Golf Association and joined the Trojans at USC. She admitted later in her Instagram post that she will always be a Trojan at heart.

The University of Southern California alumnus was born in 1995 on April 9th. She picked up a golf club pretty early in her life and started playing at the age of 8. She also has a passion for dancing but it could not overshadow her drive to play professional golf.

In fact, growing up, the American golfer, who is of Korean descent, had a dire choice to make. As per the Wall Street Journal, she had to commit to a life of Korean dance or golf. The Pro golfer picked a sporting career, and the rest is history.

Her life as a college golfer

USC had one of the top-ranking golfing programs but Park took the university’s accomplishment to new heights. As a freshman, she won four titles individually and aided her college team to a third position in the NCAA. She broke USC’s average record for a season of 71.55 with her 71.36.

As an early inductee in the Trojans, Park was able to make it into the top 8 of seven events. She also finished in the top 3 of six out of nine events as a USC Trojan.

In her sophomore year, Park’s performance turned many heads and even earned her an invitation to the 2014 LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship. The Pro golfer was one among 10 amateurs to be invited to participate in the prestigious event.

By 2015, the American golfer was already topping the Trojan charts with 6 wins for the team. Her spectacular performance inspired her to go pro following her junior year and soon she was on her way to earn her card for the LPGA circuit. By the time she was graduating, Annie Park had a bright future to look forward to as a pro golfer.

The next stop was on her ‘road to LPGA’ starting with the Epson Tour. Her attempt at earning the LPGA Card had a spectacular finish. Park went on to etch her name in the Ladies’ golfing history.

Fun fact: The prolific golfer was the first female golfer to win the Nassau Boys High School Championship by six strokes in 2012 long before she made it her mission to enter the LPGA.

Annie Park made a splash on the Epson Tour

The PAC 12 Player of the Year started her ‘road to LPGA’ with a smashing performance. She had her first win at the Dannielle Downy Classic and was overjoyed to share the victory on her Instagram.

She made the cut in all 11 events that she appeared in and won a sum of $68,673 as per Epson Tour. She earned her LPGA card due to her taking the first position on the Epson Tour’s money list. She also finished in the top ten in three other events apart from her win at the Danielle Downy Classic.

Annie Park credited her winning attitude and fortitude on the greens to her mother Young Hee Park. When she heard the news of receiving her LPGA card, she shared an adoring post on her Instagram with her mother holding the Praire Band accolade.

That was a historic day for her career. Annie Park has since been on the LPGA tour making the cut in more than 60% of the events in which she appeared. She made $80,472 in career earnings during the Epson Tour alone.

Park’s career on the LPGA Tour

As a Pro golfer, Annie Park officially turned pro and received her card in 2016. However, that wasn’t her first appearance in the Ladies Professional Golfers Association.

Back in 2012, she entered the US Women’s Open as an amateur golfer. She finished first during the qualifiers at Trump National in Colts Neck, New Jersey which resulted in her appearance at the event. By the time she joined as a rookie in 2015-16, she was already familiar with the high stakes and pressure.

In 2016, she made it to 5th position in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year. In 2017, at the JTBC, she finished T26 during the Volunteers of America Texas Shootout. In 2018, she became a Rolex First-time winner. She also recorded an incredible 1-2-0 at the Solheim Cup in 2019. She may not have made the famers’ list but Annie Park continues to give her best at the links.

Sometimes it is her time to shine and sometimes it isn’t. But the Shprite LPGA Classic winner never lets a bad day stray her from her goal. She is continuing her struggle and has big aspirations for her professional golfing career. Her career earnings in 2022 were $204,363, a massive leap from when she first joined the LPGA Tour and made $172,337.

What do you think of Annie Park’s performance in the ongoing tournament so far? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.