Pharma Research Rejuran Golf Team, launched in 2023 with a mandate to develop young talent, has won its first title three years after its founding. The player who delivered it is Ma Seo-young, 26, who has been with the team since its launch.
The team said on the 20th that Ma won a playoff to become the inaugural champion of the Iceberg Golf and Seoul Shinmun Open on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, which concluded on the 18th of this month.
The victory is Ma's first career win, coming after a difficult stretch since her debut in which she moved between the main tour and the second-tier Dream Tour.
Ma's win carries weight as an example of the team's long-term investment approach bearing fruit. Pharma Research kept its sponsorship in place through her uneven results, pointing to her diligence and room for growth. In Korean golf, where sponsorship deals are typically tied to short-term results, the decision to wait out a player's growth curve has paid off after three years.
"The time I spent holding on and thinking positively, even in difficult circumstances, seems to have come back today as a big gift," Ma said. "This win feels like it has moved me about 10 steps forward."
"I hope my win becomes a source of hope for young players who are quietly putting in the work," the golfer added.
Ma also thanked her sponsor. "I believe today's result was possible because Pharma Research Rejuran stood by me from my debut, in every situation," she said. "It is a tremendous honor to share my first win with Rejuran. I will become a player who spreads a positive influence through many more victories."
An official at the Pharma Research golf team said: "She built her own game without wavering over a long period and has now given the team its first win, which makes us proud and grateful. We believe a player's potential and attitude eventually show up in results, and we will serve as a reliable partner so that players who put in the work can compete on bigger stages."