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Kim Se-young broke her long silence.
On the 22nd, at the Siam Country Club Old Course (par 72, 6,576 yards) near Pattaya, Chonburi, Thailand, Kim shot a 6-under-par 66 in the first round of the LPGA Tour Honda Thailand (total prize money $1.7 million), finishing in second place. She is the highest-ranked Korean player in this tournament. Jen Bai-yun (Taiwan) surged with an 8-under-par 64 to top the leaderboard.
Kim Se-young made seven birdies and one bogey. She missed the fairway twice and the green three times. She recorded 27 putts during the round. Kim debuted on the LPGA Tour in 2015 and has accumulated 12 wins, including one major title. However, she had not reached the top since winning the Pelican Championship in November 2020, a drought of three years and three months. Her world ranking also dropped to 60th.
After last season, Kim prepared for a comeback during the winter. She set up a training camp near Bangkok, Thailand, and focused on practice with swing coach Lee Kyung-hoon. In an interview immediately after the first round, Kim said, "I was nervous during the first few holes, but after making a bogey, I decided to relax and play comfortably, which worked." She added, "My putting was really good today. I hope it continues for the remaining three days." She also said, "Coach Lee Kyung-hoon taught me better ways to play. His advice to stick to the basics was a great help."
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Kim Hyo-joo, Lee Mi-hyang, and Shin Ji-eun are tied for third place (5-under 67). Ko Jin-young, making her first appearance this year, started solidly in a tie for 11th place (4-under 68). Kim A-rim is tied for 19th (3-under 69), Choi Hye-jin tied for 30th (2-under 70), and Ji Eun-hee and Yoo Hae-ran are tied for 42nd (1-under 71). Yang Hee-young, who has collected three championship trophies at this event, is tied for 60th (1-over 73). Defending champion Lilia Vu (USA) is also tied for 60th.
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