Lee Taehee 5th "Start of 3 Consecutive Wins March"... Park Kyungnam Surprising Leader

GS Caltex Maekyung Open Day 1: 2 Under Par, Park Kyungnam 5 Under Par, Lee Dongha, Kim Bio, and Seo Hyungseok Chase in a Tie for 2nd Place by 1 Stroke

Lee Tae-hee is teeing off at the 4th hole on the first day of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open.

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-jun] Lee Tae-hee (37) has begun his 'march for a 3-peat.'

On the 6th, at Namseoul Golf Club in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province (par 71, 7,057 yards), the first day of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open (total prize money 1.2 billion KRW) ended with him posting 2-under par, placing him in a tie for 5th. Park Kyung-nam (37) leads with 5-under par, while Lee Dong-ha (39), Kim Bi-o (31), and Seo Hyung-seok (24) are chasing closely in a tie for 2nd place, one stroke behind (4-under par 67). Kim Dong-eun (24), who secured his first Korean Tour victory at the KPGA Gunsan CC Open on the 2nd, remained tied for 32nd place (1-over par 72).

Lee Tae-hee made two birdies at the 8th hole (par 4) and the 13th hole (par 4). Notably, he boasted no bogeys on the notoriously difficult course known for its 'glass-like greens.' He won his first title in May 2019 after a playoff battle with Jani Koskinen (Finland), and last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament moved to Elysian Gangchon Golf Club in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province (par 70, 7,001 yards) in September, where he completed a one-stroke come-from-behind victory, becoming the first to successfully defend the title since the tournament's inception in 1982.

This year, he is aiming to become the first player in 35 years since Choi Sang-ho (66, who won the Kwaenam Open from 1984 to 1986) to win the same tournament three consecutive times in KPGA history. Lee Tae-hee also said, "Through recent practice rounds and the Namseoul Club Championship, I carefully reviewed my winning strategies once again," adding, "My short game was strong, allowing me to play bogey-free." His 26 'stingy putts' stood out. He expressed his determination, saying, "I will give my all over the remaining three days."

Park Kyung-nam debuted on the tour in 2004 but had not achieved notable results until now. Interestingly, he is the great-grandson of Park Myung-chul, former president of the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA), with membership number 3, and comes from a family of professional golfers including his father (Park Yeon-tae) and older brother (Park Joon-sung). On this day, he collected five birdies. He humbly stated, "After reaching my first goal of advancing to the third round, I will decide on my next target." Among the leaders, Ham Jung-woo (27, Hana Financial Group) joined the tie for 5th place, and Park Sang-hyun (38, Dong-A Pharmaceutical) followed in a tie for 15th place (1-under par 70).