Yoon Ina plays a shot on the first hole during the third round of the Kroger Queen City Championship, at Maketewah Country Club in Cincinnati on May 16. (AFP-Yonhap) Yoon Ina, a rising star in South Korean women's golf, is drawing attention as a leading contender in the 81st US Women's Open, the second major championship of the season.American golf magazine Golf Digest included Yoon in its list of "10 Players to Watch" for this week's tournament. She was the only South Korean named alongside top-ranked players such as world No. 1 Nelly Korda and world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul.The US Women's Open begins Wednesday night local time at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. The tournament carries a purse of $12.5 million.Golf Digest highlighted Yoon's shot-making ability as a key strength. She ranks eighth on the LPGA Tour this season with an average driving distance of 279 yards. While her driving accuracy of 68.8 percent is not among the tour's best, her greens-in-regulation rate of 72.5 percent places her among the elite, underscoring her combination of power and precision.After completing the adjustment period of her rookie campaign, Yoon has displayed greater consistency in her second season on the LPGA Tour. She has recorded three top-10 finishes in nine starts this year. Her best result came at April's Chevron Championship, where she finished tied for fourth, her highest finish in a major championship.This year's venue, Riviera Country Club, is considered one of the most demanding courses in the United States. The layout features significant length, severe undulations and the notorious kikuyu rough that punishes errant tee shots. The thick, resilient grass places a premium on precise iron play and the ability to recover from difficult lies. Fast, heavily sloped greens are expected to further test players' skills."At the US Women's Open, avoiding the rough entirely is nearly impossible," Golf Digest wrote. "Yoon has demonstrated the ability to consistently attack greens even after missing fairways."Yoon's form has also caught the attention of international analysts. Jamie Worsley, a golf expert with British betting company Betfred, listed her among his five leading contenders for the championship and mentioned her first.Worsley assigned Yoon odds of 33-1 to win the title. While she trails favorites such as Korda (4-1) and Thitikul (9-1), the odds place her firmly in the dark-horse category with a realistic chance to contend."Yoon is an outstanding ball-striker, and her recent play around the greens has improved," Worsley said. "Her style of golf is well-suited to the challenging conditions at Riviera Country Club."Only a few years ago, however, Yoon faced the greatest crisis of her career.She received a lengthy suspension following an incident involving her use of the wrong ball during the 2022 Korea Women's Open, prompting concerns that her playing career could be in jeopardy.Since returning, Yoon has rapidly regained her form and reestablished herself as one of South Korea's brightest talents. Consistent performances on the LPGA Tour this season have elevated her profile, and she now arrives at the US Women's Open as a legitimate contender for her first major title.(This article was produced with the assistance of AI. — Ed.)