Lee Kyung-hoon Starts 2nd with "Surprise 5-Under Par Surge"... Mickelson Leads at 7-Under Par

Wells Fargo Championship Day 1: Bradley Tied for 2nd, Im Seongjae Tied for 10th, McIlroy Struggles at 1 Over Par

Lee Kyung-hoon is teeing off on the 2nd hole on the first day of the Wells Fargo Championship. Charlotte, North Carolina, USA = Getty Images / Multibits

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-joon] It was a surprise spurt by Lee Kyung-hoon (30, CJ Logistics).

On the 7th (Korean time) at the Quail Hollow Golf Club (par 71, 7,551 yards) in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, Lee fired a 5-under-par round on the first day of the PGA Tour Wells Fargo Championship (total prize money $8.1 million) to tie for 2nd place. Phil Mickelson leads with 7-under-par, and Keegan Bradley joined Lee in a tie for 2nd. World No. 2 Justin Thomas is tied for 18th at 2-under, and "The Hulk" Bryson DeChambeau (both from the USA) started his chase at 1-under, tied for 35th.

Lee Kyung-hoon recorded six birdies and one bogey. He started strong with a birdie on the 3rd hole (par 4) followed by consecutive birdies on the 6th and 7th holes. On the back nine, he energized the crowd with a 10-meter long birdie putt on the 11th hole (par 4), then added back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th holes. Unfortunately, he missed the green on the 16th hole (par 4), resulting in his only bogey. The 16th to 18th holes, known as the "Green Mile," a daunting stretch named after the green corridor leading to the execution chamber, represent the toughest challenge.

Fortunately, he managed to save par on the 17th and 18th holes. It is noteworthy that Lee Kyung-hoon successfully transitioned to the PGA Tour in 2019 after finishing 5th on the 2018 Korn Ferry Tour money list, maintaining his tour card for two consecutive years, and achieved a career-best runner-up finish at the Waste Management Phoenix Open last February. His putting was especially impressive that day, averaging just 1.40 putts per hole, which he described as "putting very well," raising expectations.

Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) is tied for 73rd at 1-over, and World No. 3 Jon Rahm (Spain) struggled to a 5-over finish, falling to a tie for 138th, so the world stars have yet to make their presence felt. McIlroy, in particular, has won twice at this "promised land" in 2010 and 2015. South Korea’s Im Sung-jae (23, CJ Logistics) is watching for opportunities tied for 10th at 3-under. "Tank" Choi Kyung-ju (51, SK Telecom) is tied for 35th, No Seung-yeol (30) tied for 111th at 3-over, Kang Sung-hoon (34) tied for 132nd at 4-over, and An Byeong-hun (30) is tied for 138th.

Phil Mickelson is teeing off at the 7th hole on the first day of the Wells Fargo Championship. Charlotte, North Carolina, USA = Getty Images / Multivitz

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