'Lotte Cantata Champ' Kim Hyo-joo "My Goal This Year Is to Be No.1 in Average Score"

KB Financial Star Championship Day 1: 6-Under Par Leader, 'Top Earner' Park Hyun-kyung at 3-Under Par 4th, World No.1 Ko Jin-young at 1-Under Par 9th

Kim Hyo-joo is making an iron shot on the first hole on the first day of the KB Financial Star Championship. Photo by KLPGA

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "The ultimate goal is to be number one in scoring average."

Kim Hyo-joo (25, Lotte) is staying in Korea this year due to the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and is focusing on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour. It is interesting that she won after a playoff battle with Kim Se-young (27, Mirae Asset) at the Lotte Cantata Ladies Open in June. Kim Se-young returned to the U.S. Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour and won her third major, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, on the 12th, but she still remains in Korea.

This season, Kim Hyo-joo has entered the 'Top 10' five times, including one victory in 10 tournaments, and proudly ranks 4th in the prize money rankings. Above all, she boasts the number one scoring average (69.10 strokes). Kim Hyo-joo also said, "I will complete the KLPGA Tour," and added, "Even if I don't become the prize money queen, I will definitely keep the number one scoring average." On the 15th, at Blackstone Golf Club in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province (par 72, 6,702 yards), she shared the lead at 6-under-par on the first day of the KB Financial Star Championship (total prize money 1.2 billion won), increasing her chances.

Kim Hyo-joo recorded seven birdies and one bogey that day. She had a good start with two pairs of consecutive birdies on holes 1-2 and 4-5, and added 'stepping stone birdies' on holes 9 and 11. On the 11th hole (par 4), she excited the crowd by making a chip shot birdie from a 10-meter distance. Although she made her only bogey on the final 15th hole (par 5), she recovered with a birdie on the 17th hole (par 4). Her green hit rate of 72.22% and 'pinpoint iron shots' stood out, complemented by 25 'stingy putts.'

Jang Ha-na (28, BC Card) and Park Joo-young (30, Dongbu Construction) joined the co-lead. Park Joo-young, in particular, is under pressure as she ranks 83rd in prize money. Having played 11 seasons since 2010, she is now in a precarious position where even her tour card is uncertain, let alone a victory. She expressed confidence, saying, "I think I need to reduce three strokes a day to compete for the win on the final day," and "My recent shot feel is coming back, so I have high hopes."

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'Prize money leader' Park Hyun-kyung (20, Korea Land & Housing Corporation) and 3rd place Yoo Hae-ran (19, SK Networks) started the serious 'prize money queen competition' from a tie for 4th at 3-under-par. Choi Hye-jin (21, Lotte) is tied for 6th at 2-under-par, and world number one Ko Jin-young (25) is chasing from a tie for 9th at 1-under-par. Defending champion Lim Hee-jung (20, Hanwha Q CELLS) exchanged two birdies and two bogeys to finish tied for 15th at even par. She was hampered by 31 putts. Anna Lin (24, Moonyoung Group), the 'Otech Carrier Champion,' is challenging for her second consecutive win from a tie for 15th.

Park Ju-young is examining the putting line on the 8th hole on the first day of the KB Financial Star Championship. Photo by KLPGA

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