Defending Champion Park Minji 6 Under Par "Three Tournaments in One Season, Back-to-Back Wins GO"... Hong Jeongmin and 11 Others Tied for 2nd Place

Major DB Group Korea Women's Open Day 1: Lim Hee-jeong Tied 13th, Yu Hae-ran and Sung Yu-jin Tied 19th, Leading by 1 Stroke

Park Min-ji is teeing off at the 1st hole on the first day of the DB Group Korea Women's Open. Photo by DB Group Korea Women's Open Organizing Committee

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] Defending champion Park Min-ji (24) is on a winning streak.

On the 16th, at the Rainbow Hills Golf Club in Eumseong, Chungbuk (par 72, 6,763 yards), the first day of the KLPGA Tour major DB Group Korea Women's Open (total prize money 1.2 billion KRW), she surged with 6-under par to dominate the top of the leaderboard. A total of 11 players including Hong Jeong-min (20), Lee Ga-young (23), Hyun Se-rin (21), Jung Yeon-joo (30), Park Dan-yu (27), Kwon Seo-yeon (21), Ma Da-som (23), Kang Ye-rin (28), Choi Hye-yong (32), Noh Seung-hee (21), and Lim Jin-young (19) are chasing in a tie for 2nd place (5-under par 67).

Park Min-ji collected 8 birdies and 2 bogeys. She started shakily with a bogey on the 2nd hole (par 4), but regained momentum with three consecutive birdies from the 3rd to 5th holes, and recovered the bogey on the 7th hole (par 5) with a birdie on the 9th hole (par 4). In the back nine, she climbed to the lead with three consecutive birdies from the 13th to 15th holes and a birdie on the 18th hole (par 4). She has already achieved back-to-back wins at the NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship and the Celltrion Queens Masters, and if she wins this tournament, she will become the first in 40 years to defend three titles in a single season.

Domestically, the late Gu Ok-hee is the only one who succeeded in defending two consecutive titles in 1982 at the Suwon Open, Donghae Open, and KLPGA Championship. Park Min-ji said, "Except for the 2nd hole, my shots were so good that I hardly needed to approach and went straight to the putter," adding, "I didn't miss any putts when the opportunity came," and cheered, "I think I finished with a good result by riding the momentum." She continued, "I didn't pay attention to the record achievement," and expressed her determination, "I will do my best for the remaining three days."

Hong Jeong-min is teeing off at the 1st hole on the first day of the DB Group Korea Women's Open. Photo by DB Group Korea Women's Open Organizing Committee

Hong Jeong-min is chasing the leader by one stroke, laying the groundwork for her second win. She is in her second year and achieved her first career victory last month at the Doosan Match Play Championship. Im Hee-jung (22) is tied for 13th place (4-under par 68), while 'Order of Merit leader' Yoo Hae-ran (21), Sung Yoo-jin (22), and Park Ji-young (26) are tied for 19th place (3-under par 69). Last year's runner-up Park Hyun-kyung (22) recorded two birdies and one bogey. She is tied for 48th place (1-under par 71), eyeing a climb to the top ranks.

Rookie Yoon Ina (19) experienced 'hell and heaven.' After collapsing with a sextuple bogey, six strokes over par, on the 10th hole (par 5), she immediately made a hole-in-one on the 11th hole (par 3). Combining a hole-in-one, three birdies, three bogeys, and one sextuple bogey, she is tied for 116th place (4-over par 76). Hwang Ye-na (29) gave up the game after losing five out of six golf balls prepared during the first nine holes. Lee Da-yeon (25) withdrew due to a back injury.

Yoon Ina is teeing off at the 10th hole on the first day of the DB Group Korea Women's Open. Photo by DB Group Korea Women's Open Organizing Committee

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