Park Hyunkyung Takes the Lead... Marching Toward Third Tournament Victory

3-under-par in the second round of the major KLPGA Championship
Park Hyunkyung shares the lead by one stroke with Lee Dongeun and Hong Jungmin
Bang Shinsil in fourth, Park Jiyeong fifth, Hwang Yoomin eighth

Park Hyunkyung has seized an opportunity for her third victory at the tournament.

On May 2, during the second round of the 47th Chris F&C KLPGA Championship?the first major tournament of the KLPGA Tour season?held at Lakewood Country Club (par 72, 6,605 yards) in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, Park added a 3-under-par 69 to her score, taking the lead on the leaderboard with a total of 7-under-par 137. Lee Dong-eun and Hong Jungmin also joined this leading group.

Park Hyunkyung is teeing off at the 7th hole during the second round of the KLPGA Championship. KLPGA

Starting the day tied for second, one shot behind the leader, Park recorded four birdies and one bogey. As the champion of this tournament in both 2020 and 2021, Park now has a chance to win again after four years. If she claims victory, she will become the fourth player to win this tournament three times. Ko Woo-soon holds the record for most wins with four, while Ku Okhee and Kim Soonmi have each won three times.

Park said, "The birdies I made yesterday and today were either close to the hole or came from long putts of almost 8 meters or more. Since my 3-4 meter putts haven't been dropping, I think I need to practice more, and I also need to find more consistency in my iron shots."

Long hitter Bang Shinsil climbed to fourth place (6-under-par 138) after reducing her score by five strokes. Having won last month's Nexen-Saintnine Masters, Bang commented, "My shots and putting felt good, which allowed me to lower my score significantly. This tournament holds many good memories for me, and since I'm still among the leaders after two rounds, I plan to play as aggressively as possible in the remaining third and fourth rounds." Park Jiyeong is tied for fifth (5-under-par 139), while Hwang Yoomin, who led after the first round, dropped one shot and is now tied for eighth (4-under-par 140) along with Kim Minju, Ji Hansol, and others.