Asiana Airlines, the nation’s second-largest air carrier, said it would become an official sponsor for Baek Kyu-jung, a rookie female golfer who plays on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour.

Baek, 19, garnered media attention for achieving excellent results on the international stage this year. Under the sponsorship contract, she was also appointed as the airline’s public relations ambassador at the Asiana Town building in western Seoul on Tuesday, the firm said. Asiana said it would provide Baek’s family with complimentary first-class flight tickets for all its routes for a year.

“We are delighted to have Ms. Baek as our partner. We will do our utmost in supporting her to achieve excellent results in the future,” Asiana Airlines CEO Kim Soo-cheon said at the event.

Baek started playing golf in 2012 and turned pro last year. She has won a number of tournaments this year such as the Nexen Saint Nine Masters in April, the Lotte Cantata Women’s Open in June and the Metlife KLPGA Championship by Hankyung in September to clinch this year’s KLPGA Rookie of the Year award.

She grabbed first place in the LPGA TOUR KEB-Hana Bank Championship ― a tournament cosanctioned by the LPGA Tour ― held in Incheon in October.

Thanks to these recent victories, Baek will start playing in the U.S. next year.

Asiana Airlines provides sponsorships for other well-known Korean athletes including pro-golfer Choi Kyung-ju and Major League Baseball player Choo Shin-soo.

By Lee Hee-ju (hjlee0301@heraldcorp.com)