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Korean players who suffered a ‘winning drought’ on the LPGA Tour disappeared from the ‘Top 10’ on the first day of the Mediheal Championship (total prize money of $1.8 million).
The first round of the Mediheal Championship held at the Saticoy Club (par 72, 6,635 yards) in Somis near Los Angeles, California, USA on the 7th (Korean time), Kim A-rim (27), Choi Woon-jeong (32). ), and Kang Hye-ji shot a 3-under 69. (32) tied for 17th and highest among Korean players.
Since Jeon In-ji (28) won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, a major event at the end of June this year, Korean players have not been able to announce a victory in 11 recent LPGA Tour tournaments until last week’s LPGA Ascendant.
The recent case of a Korean player failing to win 10 or more consecutive LPGA Tour tournaments is the first in over 8 years since 17 consecutive tournaments between October 2013 and June 2014.
On the first day of the Mediheal Championship, which took a total of 13 Korean players, no player was named in the lead, so the challenge of ‘getting away without a win’ seems difficult this time.
The gap between the 17th highest among Korean players and Jodie Yourt Shadow (England, 8-under 64), who took the lead in the first round only, is 5 strokes.
Kim A-rim and Kang Hye-ji tied for four birdies and one bogey that day, and Choi Woon-jeong recorded three birdies without a bogey, each hitting 3 under.
The 2019 winners of this competition, Kim Se-young (29), tied for 25th (2-under-par 70) with Ji Eun-hee (36), and Lee Jeong-eun (26) and Lee Mi-hyang (29) . ) tied for 39th (1-under-par 71) and Anna Lin (26) and Hong Ye-eun (20) tied for 52 (even par 72).
Choi Hye-jin (23), who is in second place (1,161 points) following Ataya Titikun (Thailand, 1,369 points) in points for the Rookie of the Year award, is tied for 89th with So-yeon Yu ( 32) with a 3-over par 75.
Alison Lee (USA) and Liu Ruisin (China) took two shots while Yurt Shadow, who debuted on the 2011 LPGA Tour but is yet to win a championship, took one eagle, seven birdies and one bogey to the top of the leaderboard on the first day. He tied for second place (6 under par 66).
Daniel Kang (USA), Titikun and Paula Leto (South Africa) tied for 4th (5 under par 67), followed by Jennifer Song and Annie Park (USA) tied for 7th (4 under par 68).
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