'LPGA Tour Member' Kim Hyoju "Leading by 1 Stroke"... Park Minji Tied for 44th Place

SK NetworksㆍSeoul Economic Ladies Classic Day 3: Heo Dabin 2nd, Yoo Hae-ran 3rd, Lee Seung-yeon and Lee Ga-young Tied 4th

Kim Hyo-joo is making an iron shot on the 2nd hole on the third day of the SK Networks·Seoul Economic Ladies Classic. Photo by KLPGA

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] ‘LPGA Tour member’ Kim Hyo-joo (26, Lotte) is on a winning streak.

On the 30th, at the Pinx Golf Club in Seogwipo, Jeju Island (par 72, 6,686 yards), during the third day of the KLPGA Tour SK NetworksㆍSeoul Economic Ladies Classic (total prize money 800 million won), she surged to the lead with a 5-under-par round (10-under-par 206 strokes). Ha Da-bin (23, Samil Pharmaceutical) is in 2nd place (9-under-par 207 strokes), Yoo Hae-ran (20) in 3rd place (8-under-par 208 strokes), and Lee Seung-yeon (23, all SK Networks) are tied for 4th place (7-under-par 209 strokes), continuing the chase.

Starting from a tie for 6th place, 4 strokes behind, Kim Hyo-joo showed perfect play with 5 birdies and no bogeys. She reduced 2 strokes in the front nine with birdies on the 1st and 8th holes (both par 4), then on the back nine, she made consecutive birdies on the 11th and 12th holes, followed by a birdie on the 17th hole (par 3), ultimately taking the top spot on the leaderboard. This is her second KLPGA Tour win of the season and 14th overall, including one amateur win, coming one month after her victory at last month's OK Savings Bank Park Se-ri Invitational.

Lee Seung-yeon is making an iron shot on the 3rd hole of the third day at the SK Networks·Seoul Economic Ladies Classic. Photo by KLPGA

Lee Seung-yeon, who was the leader the previous day, lost 2 strokes and gave up the lead. Lee Ga-young (22, NH Investment & Securities) is tied for 4th place, Park Ji-young (25, Korea Land Trust) tied for 6th place (6-under-par 210 strokes), while ‘2-win champ’ Lee So-mi (22, SBI Savings Bank) and ‘2nd in prize money’ Lim Hee-jung (21, Korea Land Trust) are tied for 9th place (5-under-par 211 strokes). On the other hand, ‘6-win champ’ Park Min-ji (23, NH Investment & Securities) is tied for 44th place (2-over-par 218 strokes), and defending champion Jang Ha-na (29, BC Card) is tied for 63rd place (6-over-par 222 strokes).