Seo Kyo-rim, Pursuing 5th Win of Season, Tied for 2nd on First Day of 'Major' KB Financial Championship

Seo Kyo-rim, who has emerged as a powerhouse on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf (KLPGA) Tour, finished the first day tied for second place at the KB Financial Star Championship, the third major tournament of the season.

Playing the first round at Blackstone Icheon Golf Club in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, Seo shot 3-under-par with four birdies and one bogey.

She placed herself in a tie for second, two strokes behind sole leader Hong Jin-young (Hong Jin-young 2 at 5-under-par).

Seo, who has secured four wins this season including a major title (the KLPGA Championship) and leads in multiple categories including multi-wins, the grand prize points, and scoring average, made a smooth start toward her fifth victory of the season and her second major title.

On the other hand, Kim Min-sol, born in 2006 and forming a fierce rivalry with Seo, struggled on the first day with 4-over-par.

Kim has three wins this season and stands second behind Seo in multi-wins, grand prize points, and scoring average, while leading the prize money rankings ahead of Seo.

Hong Jin-young, who debuted on the regular tour in 2022 and is still seeking her first win, grabbed five birdies without a single bogey to finish at 5-under-par, taking the sole lead by two strokes. Meanwhile, Choi Ga-bin, Seong Yu-jin, Lee Da-yeon, and Lee Ji-hyun (Lee Ji-hyun 3) positioned themselves in a tie for second alongside Seo.

Yoo Hyun-jo, who is aiming for her third consecutive victory at this tournament, struggled on the first day with 3-over-par, and Choi Ye-rim, who claimed her first career win last week at the OK Financial Group Sutman Open, recorded 1-under-par.

This tournament, featuring a total purse of 1.5 billion won and a winner's prize of 270 million won, will run for four rounds until Sunday (the 13th).

(Photo courtesy of KLPGA)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.