Japan-based South Korean golfer Lee Bo-mee was named an honorary ambassador for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics on Tuesday.
In a ceremony held in Seoul, Lee joined a slew of other sporting stars as the latest goodwill spokesperson for South Korea's first Winter Games.
South Korean golfer Lee Bo-mee poses with the mascots of the PyeongChang Winter Paralympics and PyeongChang Winter Games, Bandabi (left) and Soohorang, after being named an honorary ambassador for PyeongChang 2018 in Seoul on June 27, 2017. (2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics organizing committee)
Lee, 27, cut her teeth on the Korea LPGA Tour, winning the money and scoring titles here in 2010, and she has been the most dominant force on the LPGA of Japan Tour in recent years. She has won 19 times there since 2012, with seven wins in 2015 and five more in 2016. She topped the money list in each of the past two seasons, and in 2016, she became the first player on the Japanese ladies' tour to win the Player of the Year honors in back-to-back years.
Lee was born in Gangwon Province in the eastern part of the peninsula, where PyeongChang is also located. She said she was "proud" her home province will host such a huge international event, and she wants to help make the Olympics a success.
Lee also said she'll take advantage of her platform as one of the most popular golfers in Japan.
"I'll talk a lot about the PyeongChang Olympics in interviews with the Japanese media," she said. "I'll also take to social media to promote the Olympics, and I'd love to attend some of the events to cheer on our athletes."
Among winter sports, Lee said she is a fan of short track speed skating and figure skating, and she has also taken interest in snowboarding and alpine skiing of late.
Other athletes representing PyeongChang 2018 are former Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu-na, two-time Olympic speed skating gold medalist Lee Sang-hwa, Texas Rangers outfielder Choo Shin-soo and American alpine skiing star Lindsay Vonn. (Yonhap)
