Australia’s golf aces will have to play catch up to contend at the prestigious BMW Ladies Championship after failing to keep up on the tournament’s opening day in South Korea.
Sei Young Kim, one of 22 home hopes in the 78-player field, set a cracking pace with a 10-under-par 62 at the beautiful Pines Beach Golf Links on the windswept south-west coast on Thursday.
The LPGA Tour’s 2020 player of the year and former major champion bagged eight birdies and an eagle in a flawless first round to grab a one-shot lead over fellow South Korean Korean Hyo Joo Kim.
“This is near my home town, so I have lots of family, my cousins, a lot of fans,” Kim said.
“So I had a great start from the first hole and all the way through 18th hole, getting a lot of support.
“The course is absolutely wonderful — the layout and the conditions of the course were great.
“Of course the victory is my aim. It has been a while. I really want to take a challenge.
“Last year I was getting closer, but hopefully with the support I get in my home town, I will get nearer to victory.”
American Lindy Duncan is outright third at eight under, one stroke ahead of Thai Chanettee Wannasaen, Japan’s Rio Takeda and American Brooke Matthews.
Defending champion Hannah Green, in-form world number three Minjee Lee and Steph Kyriacou are the best of the Australians, six shots back at four under after opening with 68s.
After missing five cuts in her last six starts Green launched her title defence with birdies on the first two holes.
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Playing alongside Lee, Green stumbled with a bogey on the fifth hole before reigniting her round on the back nine.
She conjured the up-and-down of the day with a sand save from 40 metres at the picture-postcard par-3 15th hole before draining an eagle on the 17th to shoot up the leaderboard.
Fresh off her third-place showing last week in Shanghai, Lee joined Green and Kyriacou in a share of 21st spot with six birdies and two bogeys in her first round.
Kyriacou had four birdies in a bogey-free start to the $US2.3-million tournament.
Fellow Australians Cassie Porter (69), Robyn Choi (70) are also in red figures.
Grace Kim, the 2025 major winner, and Gabriela Ruffels, both an even-par 72s, and Karis Davidson (73) will start the second round of the no-cut event some 10 and 11 shots adrift of the leader respectively.
AAP
