SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (August 23, 2017) - Hye-Jin Choi, the #1 ranked player in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com Women's Amateur Ranking, will turn professional Thursday and sign a lucrative incentive-laden endorsement deal with Lotte next week.

Choi, who turns 18 this week, won the Bogner MBN Ladies Open on the Korea LPGA Tour on Sunday, becoming the first amateur in 18 years to win twice in South Korea in the same season. After her victory, she moved to #22 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Ranking, an amazing accomplishment for an amateur golfer.

Choi became familiar to U.S. women's golf followers by finishing second in the U.S. Women's Open at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, NJ. Choi led during the final round and nearly became the first amateur to win a women's professional major in 50 years.

Choi won the Australian Women's Amateur earlier this year and also won the Canadian Women's Amateur last year. She finished in the final 16 of the 2016 U.S. Women's Amateur.

She has long been comfortable playing professional events, and has recorded many top finishes including a runner-up finish in the New Zealand Women's Open, fifth place finishes in the Australian Ladies' Masters and the Victoria Ladies Open, and a seventh place finish in the Australian Women's Open.

Choi's first event as a professional will be the Korean LPGA Tour's Hanwha Finance Classic starting Aug. 31. With Choi turning professional, Leona Maguire of Ireland will regain #1 spot in the rankings. Maguire won the Mark H. McCormack Medal for the 3rd straight year as the top-ranked player in the R&A's World Amateur Golf Ranking for Women.

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