Inbee Park and So-Yeon Ryu "Tied 7th, 2 Shots Behind"... Korda Sisters 'Co-Leaders'

3-Under Par in Foursomes on Day One of the Doug Great Lakes Bay Invitational, Defending Champion Suwannapura and Clanton Tied for the Lead, Tawanda and Reed Tied for 5th

Inbee Park (right) and So-yeon Ryu started fresh, tied for 7th place in the foursomes on the first day of the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational.

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] Best friends Park In-bee (33, KB Financial Group) and Yoo So-yeon (31, Mediheal) are on a winning streak.

On the 15th (Korean time), at the Midland Golf Course in Michigan, USA (par 70, 6,256 yards), during the first day of the LPGA Tour Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational (DGLBI, total prize money $2.3 million), they posted 3-under par in the foursome format (two players alternate playing one ball), placing them tied for 7th. This is the only two-player team event on the LPGA Tour, modeled after the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic.

A total of 71 teams, 142 players, participated. The 1st and 3rd rounds are played in foursomes, while the 2nd and 4th rounds are played in four-ball format (each player plays their own ball, and the better score counts). After the 2nd round, 35 teams will be cut. If there is a tie after 72 holes, a playoff in foursomes will be held. Although it is a team event, winning seeds, prize money, and CME points are awarded. The winner’s prize money is $300,000 (approximately 345 million KRW). There are no points for Player of the Year or Rookie of the Year.

Park In-bee and Yoo So-yeon made 4 birdies and 1 bogey. Starting at the 10th hole (par 4), they reduced one stroke with a birdie on the 11th hole (par 5) in the front nine, and in the back nine, they gained momentum with birdies on the 2nd hole and consecutive birdies on the 5th and 6th holes. However, the bogey on the 8th hole (par 4) was unfortunate. They are only 2 strokes behind the joint leaders, a position from which a comeback is definitely possible. Park In-bee is aiming for her 22nd career win since the Kia Classic last March, and Yoo So-yeon is targeting her 7th career win since the 2018 Meijer Classic.

The No. 1 sister duo, Nelly and Jessica Korda (USA), swept 6 birdies and 1 bogey to dominate the top of the leaderboard (5-under par 65). They are the protagonists of this year’s remarkable record of the second-ever consecutive tournament wins by sisters. Defending champions Jasmine Suwannapura (Thailand) and Sydney Clanton (USA), among others, joined this group. Carlota Ciganda (Spain) and Mel Reid (England) are chasing in a tie for 5th place, just 1 stroke behind (4-under par 66).

Thai sisters Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn are tied for 7th, Danielle Kang (USA) and Lydia Ko (New Zealand) are tied for 10th (2-under par 68), and Minjee Lee (Australia) with Yuka Saso (Philippines) and Nasa Hataoka (Japan) with Lexi Thompson (USA) are tied for 14th (1-under par 69). Korea’s Lee Jeong-eun6 (25) and Hur Mi-jung (32, both from Daebang Construction) are performing well, tied for 7th. Ji Eun-hee (35, Hanwha Q Cells) and Kim Hyo-joo (26, Lotte) are tied for 34th (1-over par 71).

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