Choi Hye-jin's Smooth Journey to the US "2 Strokes Behind in 2nd Place"... Bouchard Leads

LPGA Tour Q-Series Stage 1 Final Day: Anna Lin 3rd with 6 Under Par, Titikun Tied 4th, Im Miyang 'Eliminated'

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] Choi Hye-jin (22, Lotte, photo) is smoothly advancing toward entering the United States.

On the 6th (Korean time), at the RTJ Magnolia Grove Golf Course (par 72) in Mobile, Alabama, USA, Choi shot 6 under par in the final 4th round of the first stage of the LPGA Tour Qualifying (Q) Series, finishing in 2nd place (17 under par 269). Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (France) leads with 19 under par 267. She will participate in the second stage of the Q-Series, held over four days from the 9th at the Highland Oaks Golf Course in Dothan, Alabama.

The LPGA Tour Q-Series narrows down 70 players in the first stage and then holds a second stage to determine the final rankings. Players who finish within 45th place receive LPGA Tour cards for next year. To maintain a stable tour life, players need to finish within the top 20. Starting 2 strokes behind in 2nd place, Choi collected 1 eagle and 5 birdies (with 1 bogey). Although she started shakily with a bogey on the 3rd hole (par 4), she successfully turned the momentum around with an eagle on the 6th hole (par 5).

She rode a steep upward trend with 4 consecutive birdies from holes 9 to 12, added another birdie on the 17th hole (par 3), and secured her place for the next round. She is 2 strokes behind the leader, in a position to aim for the top spot in the Q-Series. Anna Lin (25, Munyoung Group), a two-time champion on the Korean LPGA (KLPGA) Tour, also improved by 6 strokes to 3rd place (14 under par 272). Hong Ye-eun (19) is tied for 11th place (9 under par 277), and Park Geum-gang (20) is tied for 52nd place (even par 286), both advancing to the second stage.

Pauline Roussin-Bouchard finished the first stage of the LPGA Tour Q-Series with a 2-stroke lead. Photo by LPGA Tour Official Website

On the other hand, Lee Mi-hyang (28, Volvik), who has two career wins on the LPGA Tour, finished tied for 75th place (2 over par 288), losing her tour card. Kwak Min-seo (31) is also in the lower ranks at 108th place (13 over par 302). Bouchard maintained her position at the top of the leaderboard by shooting 7 strokes under par. She held the No. 1 spot in the amateur world rankings for over half a year. Two weeks after turning professional in August last year, she won the European Ladies Tour (LET) Swedish Skaftoe Open.

In the first stage, she demonstrated stable skills by shooting in the 60s for four consecutive days (69-67-66-65). Atthaya Thitikul (Thailand), ranked 18th in the world, is performing well in a tie for 4th place (13 under par 273). Among the Q-Series participants, the highest-ranked player in the world rankings is Ayaka Furue (Japan), ranked 17th, who is in 7th place (11 under par 275). Hinako Shibuno (Japan), the 2019 major British Women's Open champion, finished the first stage tied for 24th place (6 under par 280).