Lim Hee-jeong's Strong Finish "Leaps to 3-Stroke Lead"... Bae Seon-woo and Park Hyun-kyung Tied for 2nd Place

KLPGA Championship Day 3: Hyun Se-rin Shoots 8 Under Par for 4th Place, Choi Hye-jin and Jo Ah-yeon Tied 7th in 'Chase'

Lim Hee-jeong is teeing off at the 3rd hole on the third day of the KLPGA Championship. Photo by KLPGA

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] Im Hee-jeong (20, Hanwha Q CELLS), in her second year, shows formidable finishing power.

On the 16th, at Lakewood Golf Club in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province (par 72, 6,540 yards), during the third day of the first major of the 2020 KLPGA Tour season, the KLPGA Championship (total prize money 3 billion KRW), she surged with an 8-under-par round to instantly take the top spot on the leaderboard (15-under-par 201 strokes). 'Japan-based' Bae Seon-woo (26) and Park Hyun-kyung (20, Korea Land & Housing Trust) are tied for second place (12-under-par 204 strokes), while rookie Hyun Se-rin (19, Daebang Construction) is in fourth place (11-under-par 205 strokes), chasing closely.

Starting from a tie for fourth place, 5 strokes behind, Im Hee-jeong collected 9 birdies (1 bogey). She made back-to-back birdies on holes 1 and 2, a birdie on hole 4 (par 4), and consecutive birdies on holes 6 and 7, making a spirited run to reduce 5 strokes in the front nine. After a bogey on hole 10 (par 4) to catch her breath, she added 4 more birdies on holes 11, 13, 15, and 18. Leading by 3 strokes, she seized the chance for her fourth KLPGA Tour win in seven months since her major KB Financial Championship victory last October.

While Park Hyun-kyung joined the title race with a 5-under-par round, Bae Seon-woo, who led for two consecutive days, exchanged 3 birdies for 3 bogeys and slipped to a tie for second place. Hyun Se-rin also added 4-under-par to keep hopes alive for a come-from-behind victory. Defending champion Choi Hye-jin (21, Lotte) improved her position to a tie for seventh place (7-under-par 209 strokes) by shooting 5-under-par. 'KLPGA Rookie of the Year' Jo Ah-yeon (20, Volvik) joined the tie for seventh, and 'U.S.-based' Kim Hyo-joo (25, Lotte) stood at a tie for 15th place (6-under-par 210 strokes).

'Number 6' Kim Se-young (27, Mirae Asset) is tied for 42nd place (2-under-par 214 strokes), while 'Hyosung Championship champ' Lee Da-yeon (23, Mediheal) and 'LPGA Rookie of the Year' Lee Jeong-eun 6 (24, Daebang Construction) are tied for 52nd place (1-under-par 215 strokes). Lifetime exempt player Lee Bo-mi (32) failed to advance to the fourth round, finishing tied for 97th place (5-over-par 221 strokes). This tournament uses the MDF (Made cut, Did not Finish) system. Based on the first and second round results, up to a tie for 102nd place advanced to the third round, and only up to a tie for 70th place moved on to the final day.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.