Lee Tae-hee records 6 birdies with no bogeys... Hwang Do-yeon also hits 7 birdies, 1 bogey for a strong performance
Han Seung-soo and Jo Min-gyu tied for 3rd, 1 stroke behind... Seo Yo-seop competes in the lead group at 4 under par
Lee Tae-hee is teeing off with a driver on the 11th hole during the first round of the Genesis Championship, part of the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Tour, held on the 6th at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Songdo, Incheon. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Tae-won Choi] Lee Tae-hee (38) and Hwang Do-yeon (29) both posted 6-under-par rounds to share the top spot on the leaderboard after the first day of the KPGA Korean Tour Genesis Championship. The Genesis Championship is the largest prize money event on the KPGA Tour, with a total purse of 1.5 billion KRW and a winner's prize of 300 million KRW.
On the 6th, at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Songdo, Incheon (par 72, 7,438 yards), the first day of the 2022 Genesis Championship saw both players shoot 6-under 66. Lee Tae-hee recorded six birdies without a bogey, while Hwang Do-yeon also fired a strong round with seven birdies and just one bogey.
Starting his round on the 10th hole, Lee Tae-hee made consecutive birdies on the first two holes and racked up five birdies on the front nine alone. In the back nine, he played steadily without any bogeys until the 8th hole, struggling to lower his score further, but added a birdie on the final 9th hole to finish the round on a high note. Lee Tae-hee is aiming to win this tournament again after four years, having previously won in 2018.
Lee Tae-hee said, "As the results show, I had no major mistakes or crises. Both my shots and putting were good, allowing me to finish well. I'm happy to end the first round near the top at a golf course I like."
He earned his first win in 2015 and went on to win the Genesis Open in 2018, followed by back-to-back victories at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in 2019 and 2020. He currently holds four wins on the KPGA Korean Tour.
In contrast, Hwang Do-yeon showed strength in the back nine. Also starting on the 10th hole, he began with a birdie but stumbled with a bogey on the 13th hole. However, he bounced back with consecutive birdies on the 15th and 16th holes, finishing the back nine with four birdies to match Lee Tae-hee's score.
Hwang Do-yeon commented, "Making a birdie on the 15th hole helped me regain my composure. My putting felt significantly better." He added, "In the previous tournament, the Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Choi Kyung-ju Invitational, my putting was poor, so I took lessons from pro Park Do-gyu, which seems to have been effective."
Han Seung-soo (36) and Cho Min-kyu (34) each recorded 5-under-par rounds, trailing the leaders by just one stroke.
Genesis Points leader Seo Yo-seop (26) also finished the day tied for 5th at 4-under-par. Seo Yo-seop has maintained strong form this season, winning the Bodyfriend Phantom Robo Gunsan CC Open and the LX Championship, but has had little success at the Genesis Championship. Since 2018, he has participated every year but failed to make the cut each year except for last year, when he finished tied for 25th.
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