Kang Sung-hoon Title Defense Match "5-Under Par Start~"... Spieth "Have You Seen 9-Under Par?"

AT&T Byron Nelson Day 1 Tied 34th, Spieth Tied for Lead, Lee Kyoung-hoon 7-Under Tied 7th Exciting Start

Kang Sung-hoon is looking at the ball right after his tee shot on the 2nd hole on the first day of the AT&T Byron Nelson, where he is defending his title. McKinney, Texas, USA = Getty Images / Multibits

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] Kang Sung-hoon (34, CJ Logistics) has finally gathered strength.

On the 14th (Korean time), at the Craig Ranch Golf Course in McKinney, Texas (par 72, 7,468 yards), the first day of the PGA Tour AT&T Byron Nelson (total prize money $8.1 million) began, and he recorded 5 under par to tie for 33rd place. Valero Texas Open champion Jordan Spieth and J.J. Spaun (both from the USA) lead the tournament at 9 under par, with Rafa Cabrera Bello (Spain) chasing closely in a tie for 3rd place, one stroke behind at 8 under par 64.

Kang Sung-hoon is notably the 2019 champion. During the second round at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas, Texas (par 71), he set a course record with 10 under par, causing a stir, and added 4 under par on the final day to secure his first PGA Tour victory (23 under par 261). Last year, the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19, so he is now attempting to defend his first title after two years. In the 2021 season, he missed the cut 12 times in 20 events, so escaping this slump is urgent.

On this day, he combined one eagle, four birdies, and one bogey. He started pleasantly with a birdie on the first hole (par 4), followed by birdies on the 6th hole (par 4) and an eagle on the 9th hole (par 5) after a successful 2-on and a 2.2m putt. He added another birdie on the 12th hole (par 5), had his only bogey on the 16th hole (par 4), but recovered with a birdie on the final 18th hole (par 5). His longest drive was 312 yards, with a green hit rate of 66.67%, and his short game stood out by maintaining his score under pressure.

From Korea, Lee Kyung-hoon (30) is making a strong impression, tied for 7th at 7 under par. He collected eight birdies and one bogey. It is interesting that he achieved a career-best result with a runner-up finish at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in February. The second round has become even more important. American Express champion Kim Si-woo (26, also CJ Logistics) is tied for 18th at 6 under par, seizing a chance for his second win. “Tank” K.J. Choi (51, SK Telecom) is tied for 54th at 4 under par.

Jordan Spieth is making an eagle putt on the 18th hole on the first day of the AT&T Byron Nelson. McKinney, Texas, USA = Getty Images / Multibits

Spieth took center stage in the news with a “9 under par perfect play.” He added fan service by sinking a long eagle putt of 16.76 meters on the final 18th hole (par 5). Above all, his “stingy putting” averaging 1.53 putts per hole was powerful. World No. 3 Jon Rahm (Spain) and Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) are tied for 54th, while “Hulk” Bryson DeChambeau (USA) made five birdies but was held back by a double bogey on the first hole, dropping to a tie for 77th place.