Kim Dae-hyun blasted eight birdies in a six-under-par 66 to tie for the third-round lead with fellow Korean Kim Kyung-tae at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open yesterday, the third event in the OneAsia season.
Kim Kyung-tae, a star on the Japan Tour, carded a third straight bogey-free 68 as the young pair finished 12-under, six shots clear of experienced duo Kang Kyung-nam (67) and Kim Dae-sub (72), both five-time winners on the Korean Tour.
Schoolboy amateur Lee Soo-min, 16, shot 68 to lie fifth at five-under, one ahead of Australians Scott Arnold (69) and former PGA Tour regular Stephen Allan (71).
Starting the day two behind Kim Kyung-tae, Kim Dae-hyun drew level on the 12th after his fourth birdie. It was also the first of a run of five straight birdies before the wavy-haired 22-year-old bogeyed 17. Kim Kyung-tae, 23, responded with a hat-trick of birdies from 13 to 15, to add to an earlier one when both players picked up a shot at the par-five ninth.
“I really played some good shots today,” Kim Dae-hyun said. “I’m happy with eight birdies as I drove well and my short game was good. My putting was much better than yesterday.”
The Korean Tour’s biggest hitter with an average drive of over 304m, Kim Dae-hyun looked forward to another clash of styles as he bids for his second pro title following his breakthrough win at last September’s Korea-China KEB Invitational.
“I’ll try my best but this is like Kim Kyung-Tae’s home course. He’s a very detailed player, whereas I’m much more explosive. We know each other well from our days playing in the Korean national team. I’m just going to enjoy it,” Kim Dae-hyun said.
Kim Kyung-tae won the 2007 Maekyung Open at Namseoul, one of three Korean Tour titles he won on his way to topping the Order of Merit in his rookie season. This week, he hasn’t dropped a shot in 54 holes at the mountainous, 6,962m course just 15 minutes’ drive from his family’s home in Yongin.
Like his playing partner, the 23-year-old was looking forward to another duel in the sun as he bids for his first OneAsia title.
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