NW Arkansas Championship First Day 7-Under Par Co-Leader Group
[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Taewon] Kim Seyoung (29) has laid the groundwork for her first LPGA Tour victory in two years. Lee Jeongeun5 (34), who had not won in seven years since 2015, is also aiming for her first LPGA win.
On the 23rd (Korean time), Kim Seyoung and Lee Jeongeun5 both shot 7-under-par 64 in the first round of the LPGA Tour Walmart NW Arkansas Championship (total prize money $2.3 million) held at Pinnacle CC (par 71, 6,438 yards) in Rogers, Arkansas, USA. Along with these two players, six others including Yuka Saso (Japan), Megan Kang, Ryan O'Toole, and Lauren Koflin (all from the USA) formed the co-leader group.
Kim Seyoung played a clean round with eight birdies and only one bogey. Starting at the 10th hole, she exchanged a birdie on the 10th for a bogey on the 11th. However, she adjusted her shot form by recording birdies on the 14th, 18th, and 1st holes consecutively. Then, from the 6th to the 9th hole, she made four consecutive birdies, finishing with a 7-under-par score.
Kim Seyoung won two titles in 2020, including the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and the Pelican Women's Championship, earning the LPGA Player of the Year award. However, despite finishing as runner-up three times last year, she has not collected a winner's trophy in two years. This season, she has participated in 14 tournaments but has only made the top 10 four times, showing a lackluster performance.
Lee Jeong-eun 5
Lee Jeongeun5, who had no wins in domestic or international tournaments since the 2015 KLPGA Tour Jeju Samdasoo Masters, also recorded seven birdies without any bogeys and joined the co-leader group.
After achieving five wins on the KLPGA Tour, Lee Jeongeun moved to the LPGA stage in 2017 but has yet to lift a winner's trophy. She showed signs of a comeback by finishing runner-up at the Portland Classic last September, but despite participating in 20 tournaments this year, she has not made a single top 10 finish.
Among Korean players, Kim Arim (27) and Shin Jieun (30) are tied for 9th place with 5-under-par scores. Veteran Ji Eunhee (36), Lee Jeongeun6 (26), and rookie of the year contender Choi Hyejin (23) are tied for 15th place with 4-under-par scores.
Nelly Korda (USA), aiming to reclaim the world No. 1 ranking amid Ko Jin-young's (27) injury absence, started with a 3-under-par 68, tied for 32nd place.
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