So-Young Lee's 6-Under Par Surge..."No Odd-Year Jinx"

Jeju Samdasoo Masters 1R Leading the Race
All 6 Career Wins Achieved in Even Years
"Will Calmly Tackle the Course in the Remaining Three Days"

Lee So-young has a jinx.

Strangely, she has never won in odd-numbered years. She has accumulated a total of 6 wins on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, all achieved in even-numbered years. Lee So-young has laid the groundwork to break the 'odd-year jinx.' On the 3rd, at the Blackstone Golf Club (par 72, 6,626 yards) in Jeju City, Jeju Island, during the first round of the Jeju Samdasoo Masters (total prize money 1 billion KRW), she swept up 6 birdies without a single bogey.

Lee So-young is making an iron shot on the 9th hole of the first round at the Jeju Samdasoo Masters.
[Photo by KLPGA]

Her strong start included a birdie on the first hole she played, the 10th hole (par 4), followed by three consecutive birdies from the 12th to the 14th holes. In the back nine, she added two more birdies on the 1st hole (par 5) and the final 9th hole (par 4). Lee So-young has participated in 15 tournaments this year, finishing in the top 5 six times, currently ranking 10th in the prize money standings with 326.88 million KRW. However, she has yet to collect a winner’s trophy. She finished 2nd at the Hana Financial Group Singapore Ladies Open last December and 3rd at the Lotte Open this past June.

Lee So-young said, "There are still many rounds left, so honestly, I’m not sure about winning," adding, "Compared to my worries about not practicing much during the two-week tour break, I finished the first round well. I’m happy because I played a bogey-free round." She explained, "I did a lot of physical training during the break," and continued, "Because of the heat, I played a little golf early in the morning and focused on working out at the gym. I didn’t feel much physical burden."

Regarding the course, which is hosting a KLPGA Tour event for the first time, Lee So-young analyzed, "The greens are very difficult, reminding me of Icheon Blackstone, and it also feels like a foreign course. Players who perform well on flat courses will likely do well here." She pledged, "I won’t lose focus over the remaining three days," and added, "I will calmly and steadily tackle the course."

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