Minji Park Leads by 4 Points "7 Wins GO~"... So-Young Lee and Anna Lin Tie for 2nd Place

'Modified Stableford' Dongbu Construction·Korea Land Trust Championship Day 3: Haminsong 4th, Lim Heejeong and Hong Jungmin Tied 5th

Park Minji is smiling brightly after making a birdie on the 1st hole during the third day of the Dongbu Construction·Korea Land Trust Championship. Photo by KLPGA

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] It is the winning opportunity for ‘6-win champ’ Park Min-ji (23, NH Investment & Securities).

On the 16th, at Jeonbuk Iksan Golf Club (par 72, 6,569 yards), the third day of the newly established KLPGA Tour tournament Dongbu Construction·Korea Land Trust Championship (total prize money 1 billion KRW), she swept up 20 points to dominate the top of the leaderboard (40 points). This is the first KLPGA Tour tournament using a modified Stableford scoring system, where points earned at each hole are summed: albatross 8 points, eagle 5 points, birdie 2 points, par 0 points, bogey -1 point, double bogey or worse -3 points.

Starting from a tie for 12th place, 7 points behind, Park Min-ji showed perfect play with 10 birdies and no bogeys. After warming up lightly with birdies on holes 1 and 4, she made consecutive birdies on holes 6 and 7, and a three-birdie streak from holes 9 to 11. She also showed strong finishing power by adding three more birdies on holes 15, 17, and 18. Leading by 4 points, she seized the chance for her 7th win of the season and 11th career victory, her first since winning the Daebo House Open in July.

"This modified Stableford format is my first time," said Park Min-ji, "I was able to play aggressively without fearing bogeys," and cheered, "It's the first time since I started playing golf that I made 10 birdies without a bogey." She added, "I was playing well with 6 wins, but I hated hearing that I ‘haven't won’," and expressed her determination, "Tomorrow, I will focus only on birdies." Lee So-young (24, Lotte) added 10 points and is watching for a comeback from joint 2nd place (36 points).

Lee So-young is making an iron shot on the 1st hole on the third day of the Dongbu Construction·Korea Land Trust Championship. Photo by KLPGA

Ahn Ah-rin (Moonyoung Group) is tied for 2nd, Ha Min-song (Lotte, both 25) is 4th (35 points), and Lim Hee-jung (21, Korea Land Trust) and Hong Jung-min (19, CJ OnStyle) are tied for 5th (34 points). Lee So-mi (22, SBI Savings Bank) is 9th (30 points), and Song Ga-eun (21, MG Saemaeul Geumgo) is tied for 10th (29 points). Han Jin-seon (24, Kakao VX), who led for two days, failed to add points and dropped to a tie for 14th (27 points). Park Hyun-kyung (21, Korea Land Trust) is tied for 19th (26 points).