Yumin Hwang Shoots 6-Under to Start Tied for Lead

It was a fresh start for rookie Yumin Hwang.

On March 5, at the Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course (par 72, 6,712 yards) in Hainan Province, southern China, Yumin Hwang delivered an impressive performance on the first day of the Blue Bay LPGA-the final event of the LPGA Tour’s spring Asian swing, with a total prize fund of 2.6 million dollars. In the first round, she carded six birdies without a single bogey, finishing at the top of the leaderboard with a 6-under-par 66. Mary Liu and Zhang Weiwei of China also joined the leading group.

Hwang Yumin took the joint lead by reducing six strokes in the first round of the Blue Bay LPGA. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

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Last October, Yumin Hwang won the LPGA Tour Lotte Championship, earning her direct entry to the LPGA Tour without having to go through the Qualifying (Q) Series. Making her official debut as a rookie this year, she has been competing in early-season events. She finished tied for fifth at the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January, and last week placed tied for 18th at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore.

Starting on the 10th hole, Yumin Hwang picked up birdies on holes 15 through 17 and holes 1 and 2, building strong momentum. She then maintained pars until the 8th hole (par 5), where she added another birdie by placing her third chip shot close to the hole. Her putting on the greens was especially outstanding, with only 25 putts recorded for the round.

Mi Hyang Lee is tied for fourth at 5-under-par 67, while China’s Lin Ruoning and Japan’s Ayaka Furue are tied for seventh at 4-under-par 68, continuing the chase. Kim A Lim and Choi Woonjung are tied for 20th at 2-under-par 70, while Choi Hyejin and Shin Jieun are tied for 26th at 1-under-par 71.

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