Park Ji-young, 4-Stroke Lead "Wire-to-Wire Victory GO"... Lee Da-yeon Chasing in 2nd Place

Mediheal·Hankook Ilbo Championship Day 3: Lee Chae-eun 2 at 3 Under Par 3rd, Yoo Hae-ran 4th, Park Hyun-kyung Tied 7th

Park Ji-young is reading the putting line on the 6th hole on the third day of the Mediheal·Hankook Ilbo Championship. Photo by KLPGA

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] Park Ji-young (26, Korea Land & Trust) has a chance for a 'wire-to-wire' victory.

On the 16th, at Ferrum Golf Club in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province (par 72, 6,628 yards), the third day of the newly established KLPGA Tour event Mediheal·Hankook Ilbo Championship (total prize money 1 billion KRW) continued, where she recorded 3-under par to maintain the lead for three consecutive days (15-under par 201 strokes). Lee Da-yeon (25, Mediheal) is in second place (11-under par 205 strokes), Lee Chae-eun 2 (23, Angang Construction) is third (10-under par 206 strokes), and Yoo Hae-ran (21, Daol Financial Group) is in fourth place (7-under par 209 strokes), all in pursuit.

Park Ji-young started with a one-stroke lead and combined five birdies and two bogeys. After making 'two pairs of stepping stone birdies' on holes 3, 5, and 7, she took a brief breather with a bogey on the 9th hole (par 5). Then, a birdie on the 11th hole (par 4) was offset by a bogey on the 16th hole (par 3), but she extended her lead with a birdie on the final 18th hole (par 5). Leading by four strokes, she seized a great opportunity for her fourth KLPGA Tour win in five months since her victory at the S-OIL Championship last November.

Lee Dayeon is making an iron shot on the 6th hole on the third day of the Mediheal·Hankook Ilbo Championship. Photo by KLPGA

Lee Da-yeon could not reduce her score, recording five birdies, three bogeys, and one double bogey. She is a strong player with six career wins, including last August's major Hanwha Classic victory. Park Hyun-kyung (22, Korea Land & Trust) surged with a 4-under par round to jump to a tie for 7th place (5-under par 211 strokes). 'LPGA six-time winner' Yoo So-yeon (32, Mediheal) is tied for 20th (2-under par 214 strokes), while 'Lotte Rent-a-Car champion' Jang Soo-yeon (28, Dongbu Construction) and 'domestic number one' Park Min-ji (24, NH Investment & Securities) share 24th place (1-under par 215 strokes).