2nd Day of Maekyung Open: Cho Min-kyu Tied 2nd, Park Sung-kuk and Lee Jun-seok Tied 4th, Noh Seung-yeol and Kim Bi-o Tied 6th in 'Chase'
Lee Tae-hee is reading the putting line on the 2nd hole on the second day of the Maekyung Open. Photo by GS Caltex Maekyung Open Organizing Committee
[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] It is Lee Tae-hee's (36, OK Savings Bank) chance for a second consecutive victory.
On the 22nd, at the Elysian Gangchon Golf Club in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province (par 70, 7,001 yards), continuing the 39th GS Caltex Maekyung Open (total prize money 1 billion KRW), Lee Tae-hee shot 3 under par on the second day and, along with Japanese Professional Golf Tour (JGTO) member Cho Min-gyu (32), stood tied for 2nd place (8 under par, 132 strokes). Kang Kyung-nam (37) is leading for the second consecutive day (9 under par, 131 strokes), while Park Sung-guk (32) and Lee Joon-seok (Australia) are in a chase at tied 4th place (7 under par, 133 strokes).
Starting from 3rd place, 2 strokes behind, Lee Tae-hee combined 7 birdies and 2 double bogeys. In the front nine, he struggled to reduce strokes with 2 birdies and 1 double bogey. However, in the back nine, he demonstrated a strong finishing ability by making birdies on holes 1, 3, 4, and 6. Although he made a double bogey on the 7th hole (par 4), he secured a birdie on the 8th hole (par 3) to set up the final 3rd round. He is 1 stroke behind the leader, presenting a great opportunity to defend his first title in this tournament. He said, "There were tough moments, but I think I finished well."
No Seung-yeol (29) reduced 3 strokes and is eyeing a comeback from tied 6th place, 5 strokes behind (5 under par, 135 strokes). Moon Do-yeop (29, DB Insurance), Kim Bi-o (30, Hoban Construction), and Shin Sang-hoon (22, Golfzon) also joined this group. Choi Jin-ho (36, Hyundai Steel) and Wang Jeong-hoon (25) are tied for 12th place (3 under par, 137 strokes), and 'Order of Merit leader' Lee Soo-min (27, Srixon) is tied for 18th place (2 under par, 138 strokes). 'Prize money leader' Kim Sung-hyun (22, Golfzon) surged with a 4 under par round to rise to tied 39th place (1 over par, 141 strokes).
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