'AT&T Champ' Lee Kyoung-hoon 2nd Place "March to 2 Wins Continues~"…Smith Leads by 1 Stroke

Memorial Tournament Day 2: 2 Under Par, Sungjae Im Tied 13th, List and Four Others Joint 4th, 2 Shots Behind in Chase

Lee Kyung-hoon is examining the putting line on the 17th hole on the second day of the Memorial Tournament. Dublin, USA = Getty Images / Multibits

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "The march toward a second victory is ongoing."

‘AT&T Champ’ Lee Kyung-hoon (31, CJ Logistics) added 2-under par on the second day of the PGA Tour Memorial Tournament (total prize money $12 million) held on the 4th (Korean time) at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, USA (par 72, 7,533 yards), positioning himself in a tie for 2nd place, one stroke behind the leader, at 7-under 137. Cameron Smith (Australia) leads at 8-under 136, while Luke List (USA) and four other players are chasing in a tie for 4th place at 6-under 138, two strokes behind.

Lee Kyung-hoon recorded 4 birdies and 2 bogeys. Starting at the 10th hole (par 4), he gained momentum with birdies on the 12th, 15th, and the 1st hole of the back nine (par 4). Bogeys on the 2nd and 4th holes were unfortunate. Fortunately, he changed the mood with a birdie on the 7th hole (par 5) near the end. Although his second shot landed in a greenside bunker, he made an ‘eagle-like birdie’ by putting the ball close to the hole. Despite missing the green 7 times, he maintained his score with an average of 1.73 putts per hole, showcasing his ‘stingy putting’ skills.

Cameron Smith is attempting a wedge shot on the 9th hole on the second day of the Memorial Tournament. Dublin, USA = Getty Images/Multivitz

Following his title defense at the AT&T Byron Nelson in May, he now has a chance to secure his second win. However, Smith’s form is formidable. He has already won three times this year, including the Sentry Tournament in January and The Players Championship, known as the ‘fifth major,’ in May. In Korea’s ranks, ‘Shriners Champ’ Im Sung-jae (24) posted 2-under par for two consecutive days, placing him in a tie for 13th at 4-under 140, while Kim Si-woo (27, both CJ Logistics) remains tied for 29th at 1-under 143.

Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) is tied for 9th at 5-under 139, defending champion Patrick Cantlay (USA) is tied for 17th at 3-under 141, and world No. 2 Jon Rahm (Spain) is tied for 24th at 2-under 142. Rahm notably led by 6 strokes on the third day last year but had to withdraw due to COVID-19, losing a near-certain victory. ‘The Hulk’ Bryson DeChambeau (USA) was cut off near the bottom of the leaderboard and continues to struggle with a wrist injury.

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