Lee Tae-hoon Takes Lead "I Like BearsBest Cheongna"... Moon Do-yeop "One Day Left"

Hana Bank Invitational Day 3 '7-Under Par Daily Best', Moon Do-yeop 2nd Place 2 Strokes Behind, Kim Min-gyu 3rd Place

Lee Tae-hoon is making an iron shot on the 4th hole of the third day of the Hana Bank Invitational. Photo by KPGA

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] '7-under-par Daily Best'

Lee Tae-hoon (Canada) surged to a 7-under-par round on the 23rd at Bears Best Cheongna Golf Club in Incheon (par 71, 7,208 yards) during the third day of the KPGA Korean Tour Hana Bank Invitational (total prize money 1 billion KRW), jumping to a 2-stroke lead at 16-under-par 197 strokes. Moon Do-yeop (30, DB Insurance), the 'DB Insurance Promy Open Champion,' is in second place at 14-under-par 199 strokes, while Kim Min-gyu (20, CJ Logistics), who led for two days, is in third place at 13-under-par 200 strokes, looking to counterattack.

Lee Tae-hoon made seven birdies. He started strong with consecutive birdies on holes 1 and 2, followed by three 'stepping stone birdies' on holes 4, 6, and 8, and another consecutive birdie on holes 10 and 11 in the back nine. His long drives reached up to 307.30 yards with a fairway hit rate of 71.43%, but most notably, his green in regulation rate was 83.33%, showcasing his 'pinpoint iron shots.' It is somewhat regrettable that from the relatively difficult 12th hole (par 4) onward, he recorded pars on seven consecutive holes.

It is worth noting that Lee Tae-hoon is known as the 'Bears Best Man.' He won his first career title at the 2017 Shinhan Donghae Open held on the same course and finished second last year. He explained, "The course design and grass are similar to those in Canada, so it suits me well," adding, "Tomorrow, the pin positions will be more challenging, requiring detailed strategies for both attacking and defensive holes." He expressed confidence, saying, "If I can add about 4 more under-par rounds to reach 20-under-par, I believe I can win."

Mundo-yeop is examining the putting line on the 4th hole of the third day of the Hana Bank Invitational. Photo by KPGA

Moon Do-yeop shot 4-under-par, while Kim Min-gyu had a 'rollercoaster performance' with 5 birdies and 3 bogeys for 2-under-par. Heo In-hoe (34) and Yoo Song-gyu (25) are tied for 4th place at 8-under-par 205 strokes. 'Genesis Championship Champion' Lee Jae-kyung (22, CJ O Shopping) dropped to a tie for 9th place at 6-under-par 207 strokes after struggling with 3-over-par. The atmosphere suggests that winning two consecutive tournaments is becoming distant. Defending champion Seo Yo-seop (25, DB Insurance) is tied for 32nd at 1-under-par 212 strokes, and 'Order of Merit leader' Park Sang-hyun (38, Dong-A Pharmaceutical) is tied for 47th at 1-over-par 214 strokes.

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