Best Asian Female Golfers 2023
If you take a look at the current LPGA world rankings, you will notice a trend if you are even mildly perceptive: the rankings are dominated by Asian players.
Golf is truly an international sport and it has saturated few countries like it has in Korea, Japan, Thailand and China.
In fact, some of the highest-ranked LPGA players hail from Korea. It’s a trend that’s hard to ignore – especially since the world has been captivated by the play of these Eastern dynamos. Players like Inbee Park and Michelle Wie have dazzled us on the links over the years.
But how much do you really know about the best Asian female golfers in 2023? If your quest to learn more about these golfers has led you here then buckle up as we run down the best Asian female golfers in 2023.
Top Female Asian Golfers List
1. Inbee Park |
Tournament Wins: 21 |
Career Earnings: $17,564,804 |
2. Lydia Ko |
Tournament Wins: 16 |
Career Earnings: $11,740,224 |
3. Sei Young Kim |
Tournament Wins: 12 |
Career Earnings: $10,635,803 |
4. Na Yeon Choi |
Tournament Wins: 9 |
Career Earnings: $10,900,541 |
5. Minjee Lee |
Tournament Wins: 5 |
Career Earnings: $7,078,353 |
#1 – Inbee Park
Inbee Park Key Stats
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Country: South Korea
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Tournament Wins: 21
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Career Earnings: $17,564,804
Inbee Park Golf Career
Like so many Asian female golfers we will profile on our list, Inbee Park’s journey to golf stardom started at a very young age. In her hometown of Seoul, South Korea, she began playing the game at the tender age of 10.
When she was 12, her family relocated to the United States. Her junior and amateur careers were studded with impressive victories and that success has carried over to her professional career. Park is currently ranked 2nd worldwide in the LPGA international golf rankings.
Her most recent tournament victory came in March at the Kia Classic. Today, Inbee calls Las Vegas, Nevada her home. Oddly enough though, she keeps her personal life very much under wraps and does not have any public social media outlets.
#2 – Lydia Ko
Key Stats Lydia Ko
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Country: South Korea
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Tournament Wins: 16
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Career Earnings: $11,740,224
Golf Career Lydia Ko
Although Lydia Ko was born in Seoul, South Korea she is of New Zealand nationality. She was born in Seoul but she and her parents promptly moved to New Zealand where she began playing the game of golf at the age of 5.
Lydia recounts that her love of golf began when her mother began bringing to a pro shop in Auckland. In college, Lydia studied psychology but her passion was always with golf. She has racked up 16 LPGA Tour wins including major wins at the Evian Championship in 2015 and ANA Inspiration a year later.
Most recently Lydia tied for 52nd at the Women’s PGA Championship. However, 2021 did see Lydia claim her first Tour win since 2018 when she beat out the crowd at the Lotte Championship in Hawaii. Ko has worked with Sean Foley who encouraged her to put less pressure to win on herself.
She credits this change in perspective for her success in 2018 and beyond. You can follow Lydia on Instagram @lydsko.
#3 – Sei Young Kim
Sei Young Kim Key Stats
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Country: South Korea
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Tournament Wins: 12
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Career Earnings: $10,635,803
Sei Young Kim Golf Career
Number 3 on our list earned the title of LPGA Player of the year in 2020. At age 28, Kim has racked up an impressive 12 LPGA Tour wins and another 5 wins on the LPGA of Korea Tour. You have probably head of Sei Young Kim recently as she claimed the victory at the 2020 Woman’s PGA Championship.
Her prowess on the golf course has been well-documented but did you know that she’s also a black belt in Tae Kwon Do? Kim is also the third winningest South Korean woman golfer in history – trailing only Inbee Park and Se Ri Pak.
Sei Young Kim is currently ranked 15th on the international LPGA rankings – right behind Jin Young Ko at 14th. Kim has had the same caddie since 2015: a very experienced caddie named Paul Fusco. Kim is currently competing in the Volunteers of America Texas Shootout.
At 28 years old, it is widely believed that Kim is unmarried and has no children. She has noted in rare English-language interview that while many of her counterparts were prodded into playing golf by parents, she picked up the game all on her own.
Although, she does cite some high-profile Korean players as her initial inspiration.
#4 – Na Yeon Choi
Key Stats Na Yeon Choi
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Country: South Korea
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Tournament Wins: 9
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Career Earnings: $10,900,541
Golf Career Na Yeon Choi
One of the most notable victories of Na Yeon Choi’s career came very early on. At the age of 17, she beat what was to become one of the most decorated Asian female golfers Se Ri Pak by an impressive 4 strokes at the LPGA of Korea ADT CAPS Invitational.
From there Choi’s career was set on an upward trajectory. She has racked up a total of 9 wins on the LPGA Tour and an additional 8 wins on the LPGA of Korea Tour. Her career has had it’s share of ups and downs however.
For example, in 2018 she failed to make the cut in all but 4 tournaments. Choi cites a lack of rest that led to a stagnation in her progression as a player. In 2021, Choi has also been cut from the Meijer LPGA Classic and the Women’s PGA Championship.
Recently, it seems that Choi is focusing on her burgeoning career as a YouTube sensation. She has a YouTube channel called Na Yeon is Back which, boasts over 70,300 subscribers. You can also catch Choi on Facebook and Instagram.
#5 – Minjee Lee
Minjee Lee Key Stats
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Country: Australia
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Tournament Wins: 5
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Career Earnings: $7,078,353
Minjee Lee Golf Career
Although Minjee Lee is of Korean descent, she was born in Perth, Australia. Miinjee Lee plays on both the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour where she boasts 5 wins. She turned professional in 2014 and soon claimed her first tour victory by claiming the prize at the 2015 Kingsmill Championship.
The next year, she claimed the victory at the Lotte Championship. She is currently ranked 14th on the LPGA Rolex ranking and she recently finished tied for 40th at the 2021 Women’s PGA Championship. If you feel like you have heard the Lee name in another context, you are probably right.
Her little brother Min Woo Lee is a champion on the USGA Junior circuit. In 2019 she actually claimed the top spot in the Women’s World Golf rankings but remained relatively unknown in her home country of Australia.
This is pretty surprising especially considering that she was the first woman to be awarded the Greg Norman Medal for her performance on international tours. You can follow Minjee on Instagram @minjee27 and Twitter @minjeegolf.
#6 – Jin Young Ko
Jin Young Ko Key Stats
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Country: South Korea
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Tournament Wins: 7
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Career Earnings: $6,167,160
Jin Young Ko Golf Career
We continue the list with another titan of the links from Seoul, South Korea. Jin Young Ko became a professional at the age of 18 and ever since then, her star has been rising. She was born in 1995 and at her current age (she will be turning 26 in just a few days) she has already racked up 7 LPGA Tour wins.
This includes 2 Major championships in 2019 at the ANA Inspiration and the Evian Championship. She also has 11 wins on the LPGA of Korea circuit. At the end of the 2020 season, she earned top world ranking by the LPGA.
Today she is ranked 14th in the international LPGA rankings. Her 2021 season has been relatively quiet, however. At the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship she finished tied for 46th. At the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give she finished tied for 57th.
Jin Young Ko is another Korean-born golfer who likes to keep a tight reign on her personal life. It is unclear who (if anyone) she is currently dating and little is known about her upbringing.
#7 – Sung Hyun Park
Sung Hyun Park Key Stats
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Country: South Korea
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Tournament Wins: 7
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Career Earnings: $5,483,033
Sung Hyun Park Golf Career
Sung Hyun Park is yet another Seoul-born professional female golfer who has climbed to the top of the world rankings in her day. In 2017, she claimed her first top ranking in the Women’s World Golf Rankings and since then, she has reclaimed that title two other times.
She spent her early professional career on the LPGA of Korea and since then, she has racked up a total of 10 wins. She also has a very impressive LPGA career. She has 7 wins on the LPGA Tour including 2 major victories: one in 2017 at the U.S. Women’s Open and another in 2018 at the Women’s PGA Championship.
In 2019, Park suffered a shoulder injury. The injury however, came at a somewhat opportune time as the world began shutting down due ot the COVID-19 pandemic. The time off allowed her to rehabilitate her injury, although analysts typically agree that there are some lingering effects.
She was recently cut form competition in the Meijer LPGA Classic and the Women’s PGA Championship. Still, she is a stalwart on the tour and she is currently competing in the Volunteers of America Texas Shootout.
#8 – Ai Miyazato
Ai Miyazato Key Stats
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Country: Japan
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Tournament Wins: 9
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Career Earnings: $8,302,365
Ai Miyazato Golf Career
Although Ai Miyazato retired back in 2017, she left an indelible mark on the game of golf which, is why she still makes our list. Miyazato has won top ranking on the Women’s World Golf Ranking 3 times yet she never won a major championship.
This makes her the only female player in history to earn top world ranking without ever having won a major championship. Still, she has a bevy of trophies to gloat over. In her illustrious career, she racked up 9 wins on the LPGA Tour and 15 on the JLPGA Tour.
Miyazato is currently 36 years old, married to Takumi Zaoya and lives in her native Japan. Her love affair with golf began at 5 years old. Her father got her into the game and coached her in her early career.
Miyazato announced her retirement in 2017 and made the Evian Championship her last hoorah. Miyazato is an icon in Japan, often inciting pandemonium among fans who recognize her. She has stated that her favorite hobbies are spending time with her friends and shopping.
#9 – Yani Tseng
Yani Tseng Key Stats
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Country: Taiwan
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Tournament Wins: 15
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Career Earnings: $10,551,388
Yani Tseng Golf Career
Yani Tseng is one of the most decorated female golfers in history. She has racked up a whopping 15 victories on the LPGA Tour and had an astounding run as the top ranked player in the world between 2011 and 2013.
Most experts believe that she will meet the requirements to be inducted into the golf Hall of Fame. However, she has struggled as of late. A back injury hampered her play in 2019 and she has struggled to make the cut at recent tournaments.
As of early 2021, Tseng was absent form the tour for a shocking 23 months. The once number one player in the world has fallen as low as 919th in the world rankings. After the 2012 season, her career took a sharp downturn despite suffering no apparent injury.
2021 has yet to see Tseng bounce back as she has been cut from recent tournaments. Still, her career up to now can’t be denied. She hold the distinction of being the youngest player to win 5 majors.
#10 – Ryu So-Yeon
Ryu So-Yeon Key Stats
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Country: South Korea
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Tournament Wins: 6
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Career Earnings: $11,587,141
Ryu So-Yeon Golf Career
Ryu So-Yeon is in with some lofty company. She has a staggering amount of top 5 finished on the LPGA tour and is second only ot Annika Sorenstam in top 5 finishes. This explains why Ryu has earned so much money on Tour despite notching only 6 LPGA Tour victories.
However, it doesn’t hurt that she has also claimed 10 Tour victories on the LPGA of Korea Tour. Ryu is no slouch off the course, though. She earned her degree in sports business while competing on the LPGA Tour. Ryu has also played the violin since a young age and has said that music is still a passion of hers.
Her journey with golf began in the second grade where she picked up the sport as one of her extracurricular activities at school. Much later in life Ryu claimed 2 major championships at the U.S. Women’s Open in 2011 and the ANA Inspiration in 2017.
Ryu has the best scoring average of any female golfer over the past decade. Ryu has also been known to donate her prize money to various charities.
#11 – Lily Muni He – Best Asian Prospect – Hottest Asian Golfer
Lily Muni He Key Stats
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Country: China
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Tournament Wins: 0
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Career Earnings: $92,226
Lily Muni Golf Career
The first player from China on our list also happens to be one of the most beautiful. While not the most decorated golfer, Muni “Lily” He always turns heads when she appears on tour because of her striking looks.
Lily is actually her nickname or the English name her parents gave her. She was born in Sichuan, China, a region known for their spicy cuisine. She is currently only 22 years old and is romantically involved with race car driver Alex Albon.
He’s father – a stalwart in the Chinese hospitality industry – introduced her to the game of golf at a young age. She quickly showed and affinity for the game as she began competing at the age of 5. The family moved from China to Canade and finally to California where He attended USC.
She majored in communications and turned professional in 2017. You can check out some of her hot photos on Instagram @lilymhe.
#12 – Michelle Wie – Best American Asian Female Golfer
Michelle Wie Key Stats
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Country: United States
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Tournament Wins: 5
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Career Earnings: $6,825,282
Michelle Wie Golf Career
Michelle Wie is possibly the best-known Asian female golfer in the United States. And no, it’s not just because she was actually born here…although that probably helps. “Big Wiesy” as she is lovingly known to some was born in Hawaii in 1989.
Wie is of South Korean descent as her mother and father are both citizens of the nation. They emigrated to Hawaii in the 80’s. Wie’s mother was actually an amateur golfer and she credits her for getting her into the game.
Wie has 5 total LPGA Tour wins and a single major win coming from the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open. Her play as of late has been lacking as she becomes more of the face of women’s golf in the U.S. She is currently ranked #528.
Wie is married to Jonnie West and resides in San Francisco, California. She was actually a dual citizen of Korea and the U.S. when she was born but has since renounced her South Korean citizenship.
#13 – Tisha Alyn – Best Asian American Influencer
Tisha Alyn Key Stats
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Country: Phillipines/U.S.
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Tournament Wins: 0
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Career Winnings: Unknown
Tisha Alyn Golf Career
Tisha Alyn is actually better known as a golf influencer. She is originally from Southern California and turned pro in 2015. These days however, you are less likely to find her on Tour than you are on her Instagram @tishaalyn.
Tisha is known to be an active, bubbly and attractive social media influencer who has also commentated at golf events.
Final Words
Whether you follow these women because of their proficiency with a golf club, their interesting stories or because they are easy on the eyes, one thing is certain: Asian women have made their mark on the game of golf.
They are here, they are not going anywhere and we love it. They are some of the most storied players in the game and we look forward to what’s to come from this promising group.