Joo-Young Park "Leading with 5 Under Par"... Sung-Hyun Park '2 Under Par, 14th Place'

On the First Day of the Final Major HiteJinro Championship, Kim Suji and Four Others Tied for 2nd Place, Jang Hana 7th, Park Minji 21st

Park Ju-young is making an iron shot on the 1st hole on the first day of the Hite Jinro Championship. Photo by KLPGA

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] Park Ju-young (31, Dongbu Construction) is advancing toward victory.

On the 7th, at Blue Heron Golf Club in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province (par 72, 6,736 yards), the first day of the final major of the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, the Hite Jinro Championship (total prize money 1 billion KRW), Park shot 5 under par to top the leaderboard. Five players, including ‘KG·Edaily Champ’ Kim Su-ji (25, Dongbu Construction), Kim Min-seon 5 (26, Korea Land Trust), Choi Min-kyung (28, Huons), Lee Chae-eun 2 (22, Mediheal), and Jeon Ye-seong (20, GTG Wellness), are tied for second place (4 under par 68 strokes).

Park Ju-young collected six birdies and one bogey. After the first birdie on the 4th hole (par 5), she made three birdies on the 7th, 9th, and 10th holes, showing great momentum. After a tee shot mistake on the 11th hole (par 3) resulted in a bogey, she finished the first round with consecutive birdies on the 13th and 14th holes. Leading by one stroke, she laid the foundation for her first career victory. Park Ju-young is a veteran who debuted on the regular tour in 2010. She is the younger sister of Park Hee-young (34, Isu Group), who has won three times on the U.S. Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour.

This year, Park has entered the top 10 four times but has yet to win. Her personal best was runner-up at the Doosan Match Play Championship last May. In the final, she lost by three holes to Park Min-ji (23, NH Investment & Securities). ‘Second in prize money’ Jang Ha-na (29, BC Card) recorded four birdies and one bogey. She is watching for an opportunity from a tie for seventh place, two strokes behind (3 under par 69 strokes). ‘Two-time champion’ Lee So-mi (22, SBI Savings Bank) also joined this group.

Park Sung-hyun is putting on the 1st hole on the first day of the Hite Jinro Championship. Photo by KLPGA

‘LPGA member’ Park Sung-hyun (28) recorded three birdies and one bogey. She started comfortably tied for 14th place (2 under par 70 strokes). ‘Six-time champion’ Park Min-ji and ‘third in prize money’ Park Hyun-kyung (21, Korea Land Trust) are tied for 21st place (1 under par 71 strokes). Last week’s Hana Financial Group Championship winner Song Ga-eun (21, MG Saemaeul Geumgo) is struggling tied for 58th place (2 over par 74 strokes). Choi Hye-jin (22, Lotte) performed poorly, tied for 85th place (4 over par 76 strokes).

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