Arim Kim 283.5 Yards vs Sinshil Bang 276.6 Yards

Major Tournament Hanwha Classic 1R 'Long Drive Duel'
4-5 Holes Played with 'Control' Without Using Driver
Kim Arim Even Par, Bang Sinshil 3 Over Par Scorecard

‘Overseas player’ Kim Arim secured a ‘clear victory’ in the long-drive battle against ‘domestic player’ Bang Sin-sil.

On the 4th, the two players competed together in the first round of the Hanwha Classic (total prize money 1.7 billion KRW), the third major tournament of the 2023 Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour season, held at Jade Palace Golf Club in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province (par 72, 6,777 yards). Kim Arim recorded an even-par 72, while Bang Sin-sil finished with a 3-over-par 75.

Arim Kim (left) and Sinshil Bang are playing together on the 12th hole of the first round of the Hanwha Classic.
[Photo by KLPGA]

Kim Arim is the ‘original long-drive queen.’ Before moving to the U.S. Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour in 2021, she showcased unmatched long-drive power on the KLPGA Tour. Bang Sin-sil, relying on her powerful long drives, claimed her first career victory at the E1 Charity Open last May. This year, she leads the long-drive category with an average of 267.29 yards.

Both players approached the challenging course cautiously. Due to heavy rain at Jade Palace Golf Club and a course setup that punishes missing the fairway, the anticipated spectacular long drives did not materialize. They avoided using drivers on 4 to 5 holes, and even when they did use drivers, they focused on careful control shots to keep the ball on the fairway. Still, on the 14th hole (par 4), Kim Arim hit a 283.5-yard drive, and Bang Sin-sil followed with a 276.6-yard shot, earning applause from the fans.

Kim Arim explained, "The more you hit long drives, the narrower the fairways become. It seems the fairways are wider for players who hit shorter shots." She added, "I was a bit conflicted during tee shots. Because of the rain, I played differently from the strategy I had prepared." Regarding Bang Sin-sil, Kim said, "She has long limbs and a very large swing arc. Her distance is far, and her trajectory is high, so if she learns to handle the ball better, she will become a great player."

Bang Sin-sil expressed regret, saying, "I made too many shot mistakes. It was a tough day." She admired Kim Arim’s long drives, saying, "Her trajectory was really high, and the distance was impressive." Since her first victory, Bang Sin-sil has missed the cut four times. She said, "I took a break from last week’s tournament to correct my tee shot mistakes, and practice went well, but I still feel some instability during actual competition."

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