'2-Win March' Kim Hyo-joo "10-Stroke Lead"..."This Time, a Major~"

KB Financial Star Championship Day 3: 3-Under Par "Major Victory Secured," Lee So-mi, Lim Hee-jung, Lee Jeong-eun 6, and Hur Mi-jung Tied for 2nd Place

Kim Hyo-joo is teeing off at the 4th hole on the third day of the KB Financial Star Championship. Photo by KLPGA

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "This time, a major."

Kim Hyo-joo (25, Lotte), the Lotte Cantata champion, has broken through the 'final hurdle' in her pursuit of a second victory. On the 17th, at Blackstone Golf Club in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province (par 72, 6,702 yards), during the third day of the KLPGA Tour KB Financial Star Championship (total prize money 1.2 billion KRW), she added 3 under par to take a commanding 10-stroke lead (12 under par, 204 strokes). Lee So-mi (21), Lim Hee-jung (20, Hanwha Q CELLS), Lee Jeong-eun 6 (24), and Hur Mi-jung (31, all from Daebang Construction) are tied for second place (2 under par, 214 strokes).

Kim Hyo-joo recorded six birdies and three bogeys. After consecutive birdies on holes 2 and 3, she made her first bogey on the 8th hole (par 4), but regained momentum with three consecutive birdies from holes 10 to 12. A bogey on the 13th hole (par 3) was quickly offset by a birdie on the 14th hole (par 4). Her precise tee shots, missing the fairway only twice, stood out, and above all, she relied on 27 'stingy putts' as her driving force. The bogey on the final 18th hole, a par 5, was rather disappointing, as she made a '3-putt' from 22 yards.

It is interesting that Kim Hyo-joo has been staying in Korea this year due to the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and focusing on the KLPGA Tour. Since winning the Lotte Cantata Women's Open in June after a playoff battle with Kim Se-young (27, Mirae Asset), she has made the top 10 five times in 10 tournaments, including one victory. Currently, she ranks first in average score (69.10), fourth in prize money ranking (416 million KRW), and with a winner's prize of 240 million KRW, she is poised to claim the 'top prize money' spot.

The record for the largest comeback victory in KLPGA Tour history is 8 strokes. This was achieved by Yoo So-yeon (30, Mediheal) at the 2009 S-Oil Champions Invitational, Bae Sun-woo (26, Samchully) at the 2018 High1 Resort Women's Open, and Park Gyeol (24, Samil Pharmaceutical) at the SK Networks Seokyung Ladies Classic. Kim Hyo-joo's chances of winning have increased. Anna Lin (24) also started last week's Otek Carrier Championship with a 10-stroke lead but struggled with an even-par final round to secure a 4-stroke victory.

So-mi joined the tie for second place with a 4-under-par daily best, and Choi Hye-jin (21, Lotte) is competing for second place from sixth (1 under par, 215 strokes). World No. 1 Ko Jin-young (25) fell to a tie for seventh place (even par, 216 strokes) after a rough day with 4 birdies, 4 bogeys, and double bogeys on holes 6 (par 4) and 16 (par 4). 'Otek Carrier champion' Anna Lin (24, Moon Young Group) is tied for 15th place (4 over par, 220 strokes).