Moon Jungmin Creates a 'Birdie Breeze' in Icheon

Major KB Financial Star Championship Round 1 Leader
A "Birdie Show" with Seven Birdies and Two Bogeys
"I'll Play It Safe and Look for Opportunities"

Moon Jungmin made waves in Icheon.

On September 4, at the Blackstone Icheon Golf Club (par 72, 6,722 yards) in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, Moon surged to the top of the leaderboard with a 5-under-par 67 in the first round of the KB Financial Star Championship, a major tournament on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour with a total prize fund of 1.5 billion won. Noh Seunghee, Lee Gayoung, and Lee Jungmin finished tied for second at 4-under-par 68, while Bang Shinsil took fifth place with a 3-under-par 69.

Moon Jungmin is teeing off at the 1st hole of the 1st round of the KB Financial Star Championship. Photo by KLPGA

Moon carded seven birdies and two bogeys. After her first birdie on the 5th hole (par 5), she caught fire with three consecutive birdies on holes 8 to 10, then added back-to-back birdies on holes 13 and 14. Although she stumbled with consecutive bogeys on holes 15 and 16, she closed the round on a high note with a birdie on the final 18th hole (par 5). The Blackstone Golf Club, where the tournament is being held, is a notoriously difficult course with narrow fairways and steep greens. In last year's first round of the tournament, six birdies was the highest recorded.

Moon Jungmin debuted on the KLPGA Tour in 2022 and claimed her first victory at the Daebo HausD Open in September last year. After finishing the first round, she said in an interview, "The pin positions were tough today, but my shots were good and my putting was solid. Now that the first day is over, I don't want to get too excited or disappointed. I want to play it safe again tomorrow and seize any opportunities that come my way."