Two-time Korea Professional Golf (KPGA) Korean Tour winner Lee Jung-hwan shaved six strokes off his day’s score at the notoriously tricky Blackstone Golf Course to move into a share of the lead.
Lee shot a 6-under 65 with seven birdies and one bogey for a 7-under 137 total in the second round of the KPGA Korean Tour’s KB Financial Live Championship ($700 million in prize money) at Blackstone GC (Par 72-7270) in Icheon, Gyeonggi-do, on Saturday to share the lead with “screen golf king” Kim Min-soo.
After starting on the 10th hole, Lee birdied the 11th and 12th holes (both par-4s), but bogeyed the 16th (par-3) with a three-putt, followed by three consecutive birdies on the 17th and 18th holes before finishing with back-to-back birdies on the eighth and ninth holes.
Lee said, “The greens were softer today than yesterday, so it was easier to play, which boosted my confidence. My shots were all close to the pin and I had a lot of chances,” he said, adding, “I think I can win the championship if I play my game.” “This is my third year back from the military, and I’ve had a lot of problems with my swing. From winter training to this season, I feel like I’m finding my swing again.”
After shooting a 4-under 68 on the first day to share the lead with Lee Jae-kyung, Min-soo shaved three more strokes off her score with five birdies and two bogeys to take the lead for the second straight day. After making the cut for the first time in his fifth start of the year, the 10-time winner of the screen golf tournament said, “I’m more excited and greedy for real field competitions than screen golf,” adding, “I want to play like today on the remaining two days to achieve my top 10 goal.”메이저사이트
Last year’s Rookie of the Year Bae Yong-jun and Yeom Seo-hyun are tied for third at 5-under 139, two strokes behind the leaders, while Chung Chan-min, who won the GS Caltex Mae Kyung Open earlier this month, dropped two strokes on the day to finish at 3-under 141 and tied for eighth. Lee lost two strokes on the day and finished at 2-under 142, tied for 13th with Heo In-ho and Ham Jung-woo.
Seok-hyun Paik, who won his first title at the SK Telecom Open last week, missed the cut at 4-over par 148 and tied for 52nd. Last year’s winner, Ji-ho Yang, dropped four strokes to finish at 6-over-par 150 and missed the cut in a tie for 83rd.