[PGA Championship] 'AT&T Champ' Lee Kyung-hoon "Starting at 1-under is okay~"... McIlroy leads at 5-under

2022 Season Second Major PGA Championship Day 1 Tied 16th 'Smooth Sailing', Woods Tied 99th at 4 Over Par 'Cut-Off Risk'

‘AT&T Champ’ Lee Kyoung-hoon (right) is looking at the course on the 7th hole on the first day of the PGA Championship. Tulsa, USA = Getty Images / Multibits Photo by Multibits

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-jun] 'AT&T Champ' Lee Kyung-hoon (31, CJ Logistics) is off to a good start.

On the 20th (Korean time), at Southern Hills Golf Club (par 70, 7,365 yards) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, Lee Kyung-hoon posted a 1-under-par on the first day of the second major of the 2022 PGA Tour season, the PGA Championship, placing him tied for 16th. Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) leads at 5-under-par, with Tom Hoge and two others tied for 2nd place at 1 stroke behind (4-under-par 66), and Justin Thomas (USA) chasing at 2 strokes behind, tied for 4th (3-under-par 67).

Lee Kyung-hoon successfully defended his title at the AT&T Byron Nelson that ended on the 16th, drawing more spotlight with a final round 9-under-par. This time, he is poised to make his presence felt on the major stage. He recorded 3 birdies and 2 bogeys for a 1-under-par, with a notable green hit rate of 77.78%, showing precise shots. However, his average of 1.86 putts per hole was somewhat disappointing. He vowed, "I will do my best until the end."

Rory McIlroy is teeing off with an iron on the 8th hole on the first day of the PGA Championship. Tulsa, USA = Getty Images / Multibits Photo by Multibits

McIlroy made 7 birdies (2 bogeys). Starting in the same group as the 'Returned Golf Emperor' Tiger Woods, he gained momentum with 4 consecutive birdies from holes 12 to 15, and accelerated with 2 more birdies on holes 2 and 5 in the back nine. Although he had consecutive bogeys on holes 6 and 8, he soothed his mind with a 5.8m birdie putt on the final 9th hole (par 4). His chances of winning this tournament for the third time, following 2012 and 2014, have increased significantly. He added with confidence, "My green play was good today."

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler's 'major back-to-back victory march' is ongoing. Despite shaky iron shots resulting in 1 eagle, 2 birdies, and 5 bogeys for a 1-over-par tied 38th place, he still has plenty of opportunities. In his recent 8 tournaments, including his first major Masters win, he has collected 4 victories, topping not only wins but also world ranking points (9.75), prize money ($10.3 million), and FedEx Cup points (2,842), leading all individual titles.

Jordan Spieth (both USA) is challenging to become the sixth 'career Grand Slammer' in global golf history from tied 56th at 2-over-par. He collected 3 pieces of the puzzle with back-to-back wins at the Masters in April 2015 and the US Open in June 2015, and the Open Championship in July 2017. The PGA Championship is his final mission. He finished tied 28th in 2017, tied 12th in 2018, tied 3rd in 2019, tied 71st in 2020, and tied 30th last year, enduring frustrations. 'Number 2' Jon Rahm (Spain) is tied for 78th at 3-over-par.

‘The Returned Golf Emperor’ Tiger Woods is playing at the 17th hole on the first day of the PGA Championship. Tulsa, USA = Getty Images / Multibits

It is unfortunate that Woods dropped to tied 99th at 4-over-par after a rough day. He is at risk of missing the cut. He bowed his head, saying, "It was a frustrating day." The Korean contingent is performing well with 2009 champion Yang Yong-eun (50) tied for 38th, joined by Kim Si-woo (27) in this group. Kim Bi-o (32), the Korean Professional Golf (KPGA) Korean Tour's top money winner who entered as an invitee, is tied for 122nd at 6-over-par, and Kim Joo-hyung (20) is tied for 138th at 8-over-par.

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