Kim Hanbyeol "Leaps to Lead with 9 Under Par"... Park Sanghyun '2nd Place, 1 Stroke Behind'

DGB Financial Group Irvine Open Day 3: Kim Young-su 3rd, Choi Min-cheol Tied 4th, Kim Joo-hyung and Kim Tae-hoon Tied 7th

Kim Hanbyeol is teeing off at the 7th hole on the third day of the DGB Financial Group Irvine Open. Photo by KPGA

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] Kim Han-byeol (25, SK Telecom), the 'YamahaㆍOnus K Open Champ,' has a chance for his second win.

On the 18th, at the Pami Hills Golf Course in Chilgok-gun, Gyeongbuk (Par 71ㆍ7,215 yards), during the third day of the KPGA Korean Tour DGB Financial Group Irvine Open (total prize money 500 million won), he surged with a 9-under-par round to instantly take the top spot on the leaderboard (17-under-par 196 strokes). Park Sang-hyun (38, Dong-A Pharmaceutical), the 'second in the Order of Merit,' is in second place (16-under-par 197 strokes), Kim Young-soo (32, PNS Holdings) is third (14-under-par 199 strokes), and Choi Min-cheol (33, Woosung Construction) along with two others are tied for fourth place (12-under-par 201 strokes).

Starting from a tie for fifth place, 3 strokes behind, Kim Han-byeol collected one eagle and eight birdies (with one bogey). After three consecutive birdies from holes 1 to 3, he took a brief breather with a bogey on the 7th hole (par 4). He then fired a birdie on the 11th hole (par 4) and followed with four consecutive birdies from holes 13 to 16, creating momentum, and capped it off with an eagle on the final 18th hole (par 5). Jumping to a one-stroke lead, he seized the opportunity for his second win of the season and fourth career victory, two months after winning the YamahaㆍOnus K Open last July.

Sanghyun Park is making an approach shot on the 3rd hole on the third day of the DGB Financial Group Irvine Open. Photo by KPGA

Park Sang-hyun posted a 6-under-par round, eyeing a come-from-behind victory. Kim Young-soo, who was the leader the previous day, lowered his score by 3 strokes but dropped two places in the rankings. Kim Joo-hyung (19, CJ Logistics), the 'top money earner,' and Kim Tae-hoon (36, Webcash Group) are tied for seventh place, 6 strokes behind (11-under-par 202 strokes). Two-time winner Seo Yo-seop (25, DB Insurance) added a 4-under-par round to sit tied for tenth place (9-under-par 204 strokes). Lee Tae-hoon (Canada) and Kim Min-soo (31, Volvik) also joined this group.