South Korea’s Park Sung-hyun shot a course-record 10-under 62 yesterday to take a four-stroke lead at the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship.
The 22-year-old Park birdied three of the final four holes after making six birdies in a seven-hole stretch in the middle of the round on Sky 72’s Ocean Course.
Making her first LPGA Tour start, Park played alongside Michelle Wie and Lexi Thompson, and often drove past the long-hitting US stars.
Photo: AFP
“I thought it was not an easy course, but my tee shots, my iron shots, my putting, everything just went really well,” Park said through a translator. “I have to say that with Lexi and Michelle, there were some holes where they shot farther than I did, so we were kind of going back and forth there... Michelle and Lexi are taller and bigger than I am, and they are much more powerful than I am, but I notice that maybe my swing speed is a bit faster than them.”
“I think today, I was especially lucky, but looking ahead to the next three days, I know that double or triple-bogeys are a possibility,” Park said “So, it’s really anybody’s game at this point. I’m going to try to not focus on winning too much and really try to do my best.”
Ranked 54th in the world, Park won the South Korean Tour’s Pak Se-ri Invitational two weeks ago for her third victory of the season. She won the Korea Women’s Open in June.
“It was awesome to watch, that’s for sure,” Thompson said. “She shot 10-under and I swear it seemed like she birdied every hole. It was amazing to watch. I’ve never seen her play before and she’s a great player. Amazing putter and great ball-striker, and she hits it long.”
Thompson had a 68, while Wie shot a 71.
US Solheim Cup hero Gerina Piller and England’s Charley Hull were tied for second on six-under 66.
Piller had six birdies in a bogey-free round that started on No. 10.
“I just made some putts,” Piller said. “The greens are rolling pretty quick and they are pretty pure. I missed the green on the first hole and I had about a 10-footer [for par], so I think that just kind of kick-started the whole day.”
Hull birdied five of the first seven holes in a bogey-free round.
“Just patience at the moment,” Hull said.
China’s Feng Shanshan was five strokes back at 67 along with South Koreans Chella Choi, Kim Hyo-joo, Ji Eun-hee and Ji Han-sol. Kim and Choi won their first LPGA Tour titles this season. Kim took the Founders Cup in Phoenix, while Choi claimed the Marathon Classic in Ohio.
“This tournament is my favorite tournament the whole year, because my hometown and my whole family came out here,” Choi said. “I’m so excited and I’m really proud of my country.”
World No. 1 Inbee Park had a 69. The South Korean star won two of the five majors this year and is tied with world No. 2 Lydia Ko for the LPGA Tour victory lead with four.
Ko also shot a 69. She tied for second last week at the LPGA Malaysia after winning her previous two starts in Canada and France, where the 18-year-old became the youngest major champion.
Former world No. 1 Yani Tseng was a shot further back on two-under 70, while fellow Taiwanese Min Lee carded an even-par 72. Kaohsiung-born Candie Kung slipped to a two-over 74, while Taiwan’s Hsu Wei-ling was another shot further back. Taiwanese amateur Hou Yu-sang shot a six-over 78.
Jessica Korda of the US, the winner in Malaysia, opened with a 71 along with Juli Inskter, the oldest player in the field at 55.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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