FedEx Cup 70th Lee Kyung-hoon, 134th... "PO Advancement Warning"

3M Open Round 1 Shaky at 3 Over Par
Only Top 70 in FedEx Cup Ranking Enter PO
Hojis Leads, Pinau 9th, Noh Seung-yeol 46th

FedEx Cup ranking 70th Lee Kyung-hoon's chances of advancing to the playoffs (PO) have been put in jeopardy.

On the 27th (local time), he struggled with a 3-over-par in the first round of the PGA Tour 3M Open (total prize money $7.8 million) held at TPC Twin Cities (par 71, 7,431 yards) in Blaine, Minnesota, USA, finishing tied for 134th place. The PGA Tour will conclude the 2022/2023 regular season after the 3M Open and next week's Wyndham Championship (total prize money $7.6 million). To participate in the three playoffs (PO) thereafter, players must be ranked within the top 70 in the FedEx Cup standings.

Lee Kyung-hoon is teeing off at the 7th hole during the first round of the 3M Open. [Blaine, USA=AP·Yonhap News]

Lee Kyung-hoon recorded 4 birdies, 5 bogeys, and 1 double bogey. Although he struggled with 6-over-par through 15 holes, it was fortunate that he made 3 consecutive birdies from holes 16 to 18. He is 4 strokes behind the group tied for 67th place. If Lee Kyung-hoon misses the cut, he will have to make his last attempt to qualify for the PO at the final regular tournament, the Wyndham Championship.

Lee Hodges (USA) took the top spot on the leaderboard with a perfect round of 8-under-par 63, making 8 birdies without any bogeys. He is in his second year after joining the regular tour last season. He has yet to win a tournament. He is ranked 110th in the world and 74th in the FedEx Cup standings. Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) is tied for 2nd place (7-under-par 64), Justin Suh is tied for 6th (6-under-par 65), and defending champion Tony Finau (all USA) started strong tied for 9th (5-under-par 66).

From Korea, Noh Seung-yeol made 6 birdies, 2 bogeys, and 1 double bogey to finish 2-under-par 69, tied for 46th place. Im Sung-jae, who performed well last year finishing tied for 2nd place, 3 strokes behind Finau, recorded 3 birdies and 2 bogeys. He is tied for 67th place (1-under-par 70), looking to improve his position. Rookie Kim Sung-hyun exchanged 1 birdie for 1 bogey, finishing tied for 83rd place (even par 71). Some players were unable to complete the first round due to sunset.

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