Sumin Lee Shoots 9-Under Par..."Still Hasn't Given Up on PGA Tour Dream"

Ties Course Record in First Round of The Charity Classic
Perfect Play with One Eagle and Seven Birdies, No Bogeys
"I Plan to Challenge the PGA Tour Again Next Year"

Sumin Lee smiled brightly for the first time in a while.

On October 16, at Seowon Valley Country Club (par 72, 7,065 yards) in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, during the first round of the Korea Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Tour The Charity Classic (total prize money of 1 billion won), he recorded one eagle and seven birdies. With a 9-under-par 63, tying the course record, he took the top spot on the leaderboard.

Starting on the 10th hole (par 4), he picked up consecutive birdies on the 11th and 12th holes and added another birdie on the 5th hole (par 4), building momentum. On the back nine, he showcased his focus with a birdie on the 2nd hole, an eagle on the 3rd, and another birdie on the 4th. He finished the first day of the tournament on a high note by adding consecutive birdies on the 7th and 8th holes.

Sumin Lee is teeing off at the 15th hole of the first round of the The Charity Classic. Provided by KPGA

Sumin Lee is a player who joined the KPGA Tour in 2015 after serving as a national team member. Including one amateur win, he has achieved a total of six victories on the KPGA Tour. He won the KPGA Rookie of the Year award in 2015 and was the Genesis Money List winner in 2019. He also claimed one victory on the DP World Tour. His most recent win was at the 2024 Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Choi Kyung-Joo Invitational. This year, however, he has struggled somewhat, with his best finish being a tie for seventh at the Woori Financial Championship.

Sumin Lee said, "Everything went well today. I hit all 18 greens in regulation. Overall, I made no major mistakes, so I think I finished well." Regarding his recent slump, he explained, "I've been practicing consistently, and my shots are much better than last year, but my results haven't shown it, so even I am puzzled. I will get through this period well."

He also spoke about his dream of playing on the PGA Tour. He said, with a smile, "That dream is still alive. I am planning to try again next year. There are many competitive tournaments not only on the PGA Tour but also on the Asian Tour. I plan to challenge the PGA Tour as soon as possible," he emphasized.

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