Korean women golfers delivered explosive performances at the PIF Saudi Ladies International, the season-opening event of the Ladies European Tour (LET).
Nineteen Korean players competed in the tournament, with 13 ranked within the world's top 100. The field included world No. 17 Choi Hye-jin, No. 39 Lee So-mi, No. 40 Ryu Hyun-jo, No. 48 Hong Jung-min, No. 49 Bang Shin-sil, No. 52 Yang Hee-young, No. 63 Kim Min-sol, No. 69 Yun I-na, No. 72 Lee Dong-eun, No. 81 Ko Ji-won, No. 94 Seo Gyo-rim, No. 97 Ma Da-som, and No. 98 Jung Yun-ji. Players ranked outside the top 100 also hold strong positions: No. 103 Park Hye-jun, No. 104 Bae So-hyun, No. 109 Kim Min-sun7, No. 118 Kim Si-hyun, and No. 139 Park Bo-gyeom. Lee Chae-eun2 at No. 197 is the lowest-ranked Korean in the field.
In the first round held on January 11 at Riyadh Golf Club (par 72) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Korean players dominated the leaderboard.
Choi Hye-jin, the highest-ranked Korean in the field, fired an 8-under-par 64 with nine birdies and one bogey to surge into title contention. Starting on the 10th hole, she saved six strokes on the front nine and two on the back. Choi opened with a birdie on the par-4 10th hole and continued her birdie streak on the par-5 12th and par-4 13th. She then recorded three consecutive birdies from the par-4 16th through the par-3 17th and par-4 18th holes. On the back nine, she added birdies on the par-5 2nd, par-3 6th, and par-4 7th holes. Her only bogey came on the final par-4 9th hole.
Park Hye-jun also delivered a strong performance, carding a bogey-free 5-under-par 67 with five birdies. Starting on the 1st hole, Park made her first birdie on the par-5 2nd hole, added another on the par-5 5th, and closed her front nine with a birdie on the par-4 9th. On the back nine, she recorded birdies on the par-5 12th and par-4 18th holes.
Yun I-na had an up-and-down round but finished among the leaders at 4-under. After a birdie on the par-5 2nd hole, she eagled the par-5 5th to gain two strokes at once. However, she made consecutive bogeys on the par-4 9th and par-4 10th holes. After steadying herself with a par on the 11th, Yun caught fire with four consecutive birdies from the par-5 12th through the par-5 15th holes. A bogey on the par-4 16th tempered an otherwise strong finish.
Kim Min-sun7, with one eagle, three birdies, and one bogey, and Ko Ji-won, with four birdies, both finished the first round at 4-under-par 68, matching Yun's score.
World No. 5 Charley Hull of England, the highest-ranked player in the field, and KLPGA No. 1 Ryu Hyun-jo teed off in the afternoon session local time and are currently hunting for birdies.
