Two-time Korea Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Korean Tour winner Lee Jung-hwan cut six strokes off his score overnight to move into a share of the lead at the notoriously tricky Blackstone Golf Course.
Lee shot a 6-under 65 with seven birdies and one bogey for a total of 7-under 137 in the second round of the KPGA Korean Tour’s KB Financial Livechampionship ($700,000) at Blackstone GC (Par 72-7270) in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Saturday to share the lead with ‘screen golf’s’ Kim Min-soo.
After starting on the 10th hole, Lee birdied the 11th and 12th holes (both par-4s) before making a three-putt bogey on the 16th (par-3), but he reeled off three straight birdies on the 17th and 18th holes before finishing with back-to-back birdies on the eighth and ninth holes.
Lee said: “The greens were softer today than yesterday, so it was easier to play, which boosted my confidence. My shots were all close to the pin and I had a lot of chances,” he said, adding, “I think I can win if I play my game.” “This is my third year back from the military, and I’ve had a lot of problems with my swing. From winter training to this season, I feel like I’m finding my swing again.”
After a four-under-par 68 on the first day to share the lead with Lee and Lee Jae-kyung, Kim shaved three more strokes off her total with five birdies and two bogeys to take the lead for the second consecutive day. After making the cut for the first time in his fifth start of the year, the 10-time winner said, “I enjoy the actual field competition more than the screen golf and I’m greedy,” adding, “I want to play like today on the remaining two days to achieve my top 10 goal먹튀검증.”
Last year’s Rookie of the Year Bae Yong-jun and Yeom Seo-hyun finished in a tie for third place, two shots behind the leaders at 5-under 139, while Chung Chan-min, who won the GS Caltex Mae Kyung Open earlier this month, dropped two shots on the day to finish at 3-under 141 and tied for eighth. Lee lost two strokes on the day to finish at 2-under 142, tied for 13th with Heo In-ho and Ham Jung-woo.
Baek Seok-hyun, who won the SK Telecom Open for the first time last week, missed the cut at 4-over par 148 and tied for 52nd. Last year’s winner, Ji-ho Yang, dropped four strokes to finish at six-over-par 150 and missed the cut in a tie for 83rd place.