▲ Choi Ye-rim
Choi Ye-rim, who has finished as a runner-up nine times without a win on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, has turned on the green light for her first-ever career victory by jumping to the top of the leaderboard in the second round of the OK Financial Group Sutman Open.
Playing the second round of the tournament at Adonis Country Club in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, Choi fired a 7-under-par 65 with eight birdies and a single bogey.
After shooting a 2-under-par 70 the previous day, Choi posted a total of 9-under-par 135. She claimed the highest spot on the leaderboard with a three-stroke lead over Han Ji-won, who shaved three strokes off her score today to finish at 6-under-par 138.
Shin Da-in, attempting to win for the second consecutive week, managed to shave only one stroke today to drop to 5-under-par, slipping to third place, four strokes behind the leader.
Having joined the KLPGA in July 2017, Choi has experienced the misfortune of finishing as a runner-up nine times without managing to cross the threshold of victory since her professional debut.
Notably, her most disappointing runner-up finish came last June at the McCol·Mona Yongpyong Open, where she tied Kim Min-sol at 12-under-par 204 overall before losing after the second playoff hole.
Starting the second round tied for seventh, Choi teed off from the 10th hole (par 4) and grabbed three consecutive birdies from the 11th to 13th holes, rapidly surging into the leading group.
After parring the 14th hole (par 4), Choi kept her momentum going on the 15th hole (par 5) by landing her third shot right next to the hole for a birdie.
Missing a 2-meter par putt on the 17th hole (par 3) to record her first bogey, Choi overcame the crisis with a birdie on the 1st hole (par 4). She then seized sole possession of first place with fierce back-nine tenacity, adding a birdie on the 5th hole (par 5) followed by back-to-back birdies on the 7th and 8th holes to collect four birdies on the back nine alone.
On the other hand, Shin Da-in, who started the second round tied for the lead, traded three birdies for two bogeys to shoot a 1-under-par 71. With a total of 5-under-par 139, she dropped two spots to third place but still kept her momentum alive in the championship race.
Kim Min-sol, attempting to secure a record-breaking fourth win as a rookie, shaved two strokes today for a total of 4-under-par 140, tying for fourth place five strokes behind the leader alongside Lee Ye-sol, who settled for even par today.
(Photo courtesy of KLPGA, Yonhap News)
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