Leading after 1R at CME Group Tour Championship Final
Possible to claim 1st place with $4 million prize if winning
Lydia Ko 5th, Ko Jin-young 11th, Korda 44th
Anna Lin laid the foundation to become the comeback money leader.
Anna Lin is reading the putting line on the 18th hole of the first round at the CME Group Tour Championship. Naples, USA - AFP·Yonhap News
On the 21st (local time), at the Tiburon Golf Club (par 72, 6,700 yards) in Naples, Florida, USA, during the first round of the LPGA Tour season finale CME Group Tour Championship (total prize money $11 million), she swept up 8 birdies without a single bogey to take the lead by one stroke (8-under 64). Angel Yin is in second place (7-under 65), while Marina Alex and Alison Koepf (both from the USA) are tied for third (6-under 66), chasing closely behind.
This tournament granted entry only to the top 60 players in the CME Globe points ranking until the previous event. Anna Lin ($842,634) can become the money leader if she adds the $4 million winner's prize (approximately 5.6 billion KRW) and the current money leader Nelly Korda (USA, $4,164,430) finishes in the lower ranks. Anna Lin said, "My putting was really good. Both the speed and line were excellent. I think I was more focused." She added, "This course yields good scores if your putting is on. I think this tournament is no different from others. I just plan to focus on the game and do my best."
Lydia Ko (New Zealand) is tied for 5th place (5-under 67), while Ko Jin-young, Lee Mi-hyang, and Choi Hye-jin are tied for 11th place (4-under 68), promising a rise in the rankings. Defending champion Yang Hee-young and Kim Hyo-joo are tied for 17th place (3-under 69), Lim Jin-hee is tied for 28th (2-under 70), and Yoo Hae-ran is tied for 38th (1-under 71). Korda struggled on the greens, taking 32 putts and failing to lower her score, tied for 44th place (even par 72).
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