Isomi Starts 4-Under Par "Got a Chance for 3 Wins~"... Heo Dabin Surprises as 6-Under Par Leader

SK NetworksㆍSeoul Economic Ladies Classic Day 1 Im Hee-jeong 1 Under Par, '6-Time Champ' Park Min-ji "3 Over Par Mystery"

Lee So-mi started her "third victory march" from a tie for 3rd place on the first day of the SK Networks·Seoul Economic Ladies Classic.

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] ‘Two-time champion’ Lee So-mi (22, SBI Savings Bank) has seized the opportunity for a third win.

On the first day of the SK Networks Seoul Economic Ladies Classic (total prize money 800 million KRW), which opened on the 28th at Pinx Golf Club in Seogwipo, Jeju Island (par 72, 6,686 yards), she stood tied for 3rd place at 4-under par. Hur Da-bin (23, Samil Pharmaceutical) took a surprising lead at 6-under par, while Na Hee-won (27, Dongbu Construction) is chasing in 2nd place, just one stroke behind at 5-under par 67. Defending champion Jang Ha-na (29, BC Card) remained tied for 35th at even par.

Lee So-mi entered the KLPGA Tour in 2019 and quickly established herself as a next-generation prospect by winning her first title at the Huen Care Ladies Open last October. She gained momentum by winning the season opener, the 2021 Lotte Rent-a-Car Ladies Open, in April. She reached the 2-win milestone at the Daewoo Winia MBN Ladies Open in August, and in 25 tournaments, she has recorded 2 wins and 10 top-10 finishes, proudly ranking 5th on the money list with 675.8 million KRW. Despite this, her number of wins seems somewhat lacking, with a 2nd place at the Edaily Ladies in September and a tie for 3rd at the Park Se-ri Invitational.

On this day, Lee So-mi combined 5 birdies and 1 bogey. Although a ‘3-putt bogey’ on the first hole (par 4) was unsettling, she sparked momentum with consecutive birdies on holes 3 and 4, and added another birdie on the 9th hole (par 5). It is remarkable that she operated with a 100% greens-in-regulation rate, showcasing what was described as ‘computer iron shots.’ She added two more birdies on the back nine at holes 12 and 17. Attention should be paid to her strength in windy conditions, as seen in the Huen Care Ladies Open (Yeongam, Jeollanam-do) and the Lotte Rent-a-Car Open (Jeju). She is determined to “give it her all.”

Hur Da-bin swept in 7 birdies (1 bogey), including 4 consecutive birdies from holes 3 to 6. Most notably, her 25 putts stood out as ‘stingy putting.’ She expressed confidence, saying, “I lost several chances to win by being greedy, but this time I will focus as much as possible on my own play.” The leading pack includes Yoo Hae-ran (20, SK Networks), Hyun Se-rin (20, Daebang Construction), and Jung Se-bin (20, Samchully) tied for 3rd place, followed by Choi Min-kyung (28, Huons), Park Seo-jin (22), and Choi Hye-yong (31, Mediheal) tied for 7th at 3-under par.

Lim Hee-jung (21, Korea Land & Trust), who finished 2nd at the BMW Ladies on the 24th, is tied for 18th at 1-under par, looking forward to the second round. 2019 champion Choi Hye-jin (22, Lotte) and LPGA Tour member Kim Hyo-joo (26, Lotte) are also in this group. The struggles of ‘six-time champion’ Park Min-ji (23, NH Investment & Securities), tied for 69th at 3-over par, are notable. Despite 2 birdies, 3 bogeys, and 1 double bogey, and a 100% fairway hit rate, she was ultimately hampered on the greens with a putting count of 35.