Arim Kim, 29, will attempt to become the third consecutive South Korean to win the U.S. Women’s Professional Golf (LPGA) Tour’s Buick Shanghai ($2.1 million purse).
Kim shot a 4-under 68 with six birdies and two bogeys in the first round of the tournament at the par-72 Qizhong Garden Golf Club in Shanghai, China, on Wednesday. Kim, who is tied for third place with fellow Korean-Americans Danielle Kang and Allison Lee (USA) and home-course favorite Liu Yu (CHN), finished the first day two strokes off the lead.
The long-hitting Kim hasn’t won on the LPGA Tour since winning the U.S. Women’s Open in December 2020. This is her second win in nearly three years.스포츠토토
It will be the third consecutive week that a Korean player has won on the LPGA Tour. Over the Chuseok holiday, Hae-ran Lee, 22, won her first tour victory at the Arkansas Championship, and last week, Hyo-joo Kim, 28, won her first LPGA title in a year and a half at the Ascendant LPGA.
The LPGA Tour will begin its “Asian Swing” with this event, traveling to South Korea, Malaysia, and Japan, where more Korean players are expected to make their mark. Kim was not the only South Korean player to make an impact on the first day of the tournament, as Im Sang-hyang was tied for 13th at 3-under par.
Maya Stark (Sweden) and Wichani Michai (Thailand) are tied for first place at 6-under par. However, there are 10 players in a tie for third place, including Kim, who is two strokes behind the leader.
One of the top three players, Daniel Kang, will be looking to win his third consecutive title. The event was canceled from 2020 to 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic, and Kang won back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019.