Im Jinhee Tied 12th... 'Rookie of the Year in Sight'

Kroger Queen City Championship 1R 4 Under Par
Second in Rookie Points This Year After Saigo
Buhai Leads, Korda and Lydia Ko Tied for 4th

Rookie Im Jin-hee has laid the groundwork to become this year's Rookie of the Year.

Im Jin-hee

On the 19th (local time), at the TPC River's Bend (par 72, 6,705 yards) in Miamisburg, Ohio, USA, Im shot a 4-under-par 68 in the first round of this year's LPGA Tour Kroger Queen City Championship (total prize money $2 million), placing her in a tie for 12th. Ashley Buhai (South Africa) leads with 7-under-par 65, and Gino Titi Kun (Thailand) is tied for 2nd at 6-under-par 66.

Im Jin-hee recorded 7 birdies, 1 bogey, and 1 double bogey. She was 1-under-par in the front nine but improved her standing with consecutive birdies on holes 10 and 11 and another birdie on the 13th hole (par 4). After a bogey on the 16th hole (par 3), she recovered with a birdie on the final 18th hole (par 5) and looks forward to the next round. She is 3 strokes behind the leader, presenting a great opportunity for her first LPGA Tour victory.

Im Jin-hee is the player who won the most tournaments (4 wins) on the Korean LPGA (KLPGA) Tour last year and has entered the U.S. stage this year. So far, she has participated in 16 tournaments, made the cut 13 times, and finished in the top 10 three times. Im Jin-hee (572 points) is currently second in the LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year race, following Mao Saigo (Japan, 668 points). She aims to use this tournament as a stepping stone for a comeback. Saigo fell to a tie for 83rd place (1-over-par 73), facing the risk of missing the cut.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda (USA) and 2024 Paris Olympic gold medalist Lydia Ko (New Zealand) are tied for 4th place (5-under-par 67), eyeing a comeback. Korea’s Kim Sei-young is tied for 12th with a clean round of 4 birdies and no bogeys. Yoo Hae-ran is tied for 26th (3-under-par 69), while rookie points 4th place Lee So-mi (352 points), Im Mi-hyang, and Kim A-rim are tied for 35th (2-under-par 70) after the first day. Defending champion Minjee Lee (Australia) is tied for 52nd (1-under-par 71).