Bang Shin-sil took the South Korean women’s golf scene by storm this year. The 19-year-old golfer had ranked only 40th on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) as a junior golfer, but quickly turned the tables when she won her first title at the KLPGA E1 Charity Open in May this year to qualify for the top women’s tour.
“It was definitely a bit overwhelming and hard to focus on my game at first, but now I’m grateful for the attention” she said in an interview with the Chosunilbo.
She fell into a slump after winning her first title in May, missing the cut five times between June and August. She said she struggled in the summer because her hyperthyroidism, which is nearly in remission now, prevented her from rigorous training.
She lost five kilograms in the second half of the year as she competed in tournaments almost every week. “I was eating and sleeping as well as I could, but my clothes were getting loose from the weight loss. Fortunately, it had little effect on my driving distance.”
As the weather turned cooler in September, she rebounded with five “top 10″ finishes, and in October, she won her second title at the Dongbu Construction Koreit Championship.
“After my first win, I became impatient for another,” she said. Her tee shot accuracy faltered when her stamina waned in the summer, so she focused on improving her shot accuracy for a while. “I went back to my root and kept practicing, and my game gradually improved again.”
Unlike her calm demeanor, she admitted that she’s quite impatient and likes to get things going. “I deliberately take a deep breath before each shot to keep myself from rushing.”
“I’ve had a lot of good iron shots this season, but I missed a lot of birdie putts within 3 meters,” she said, adding that she will focus on working on short putts during her winter training in Thailand. She also plans to resume strength training, something she missed out on this year because of her hyperthyroidism. “I plan to fill the five kilograms of weight I lost with muscle.”
Her goal for next season is to become the player that finishes top 10 the most. “I’m determined to be consistent next year, unlike this year with all the ups and downs,” she said. She’s even removed herself from social media to focus on golf.
One of the things that has helped her through tough times is a gratitude journal that she’s been keeping almost every day since last year. “I write down five things that I’m grateful for each day, and it definitely helps me stay positive - I had so much to write down this year,” she said with a laugh.
This article was originally published on Dec. 5, 2023.