Suji Kim Leads "5-Under Par Moving Day Surge"... Sunghyun Park "Oso Play 2-Stroke Penalty"
2021 Season Final Major Hite Jinro Championship Day 3 5-Under Par Daily Best, Kim Minseon5 and Park Jooyoung Tied for 2nd Place
Kim Suji is watching the ball right after her tee shot on the 3rd hole of the third day of the Hite Jinro Championship. Photo by KLPGA
View original image[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] It is Suji Kim's (25, Dongbu Construction) 'Moving Day Spurt.'
On the 9th, at Blue Heron Golf Club in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province (par 72, 6,736 yards), during the third day of the final major of the 2021 KLPGA Tour, the Hite Jinro Championship (total prize money 1 billion KRW), she surged to the top spot by one stroke (12-under 204) with a daily best 5-under par. Minseon Kim 5 (26) and Jooyoung Park (31) are tied for second place (11-under 205), and Somi Lee (22, SBI Savings Bank) is in fourth place (10-under 206), launching a late chase.
Suji Kim achieved her first victory last month on the 5th at the KG-Edaily Ladies Open. After falling to 84th in last year's prize money rankings and barely returning to the tour through the 'hellish qualifying tournament,' she has drawn even more spotlight. Within just a month, she is aiming for her second win, and that too as a major champion. On this day, she made five birdies at holes 3, 5, 7-8, and 16 (par 3). Her green hit rate of 94.44% demonstrated the power of her 'precise shots.'
Hot Picks Today
Dramatic Agreement Reached on Eve of Samsung Electronics General Strike... Minister Kim Young-hoon: "Showcased Korea's Strength in Dialogue" (Update)
- "It Has Now Crossed Borders": No Vaccine or Treatment as Bundibugyo Ebola Variant Spreads [Reading Science]
- Japanese Courts Reduce Paperwork, Ushering in Full-Fledged Era of Electronic Civil Litigation
- "Stocks Are Not Taxed, but Annual Crypto Gains Over 2.5 Million Won to Be Taxed Next Year... Investors Push Back"
- "Who Is Visiting Japan These Days?" The Once-Crowded Tourist Spots Empty Out... What's Happening?
It is interesting that Jooyoung Park is challenging for a win on her 245th stage. She could break Ahn Song-yi's (31) record of '236 attempts before victory' set at the ADT Caps Championship in November 2019. The second-round leader Heejeong Lim (21, Korea Land & Housing Corporation) faltered with 1-under par and is in fifth place (9-under 207), while six-time champion Minji Park (23, NH Investment & Securities) is in sixth place (8-under 208). LPGA Tour member Sunghyun Park (28) finished tied for 38th place (1-over 217). A quadruple bogey, including two penalty strokes for 'out of bounds play' on the 2nd hole (par 3), hindered her progress.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
