Top-ranked players suffered a wave of unexpected cut failures at last week's KLPGA Tour domestic season opener, The Siena Open. Former champions including Bang Shin-sil, who won three titles last year, along with Park Hyun-kyung, Han Jin-sun, Park Hye-jun, Moon Jeong-min, Jeong Yun-ji, and Ji Han-sol all failed to advance to the third round.
However, many of those players who tasted disappointment last week fired comeback shots to make the cut at the second round of the KLPGA Tour iM Financial Open held at Golfzon County Seonsan (par 72) in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, on Thursday.
The most dramatic cut survivor of the day was Bang Shin-sil, who finished tied for 32nd at even-par 144. She hovered near the cut line throughout the second round before closing with back-to-back birdies.
Bang, who sat tied for 67th at 2-over 74 after the first round, appeared headed for a smooth day when she birdied the third hole (par 4). But a three-putt bogey on the fourth hole (par 4) made for a difficult stretch. Through 16 holes, she had avoided bogeys but also failed to make any birdies, leaving her outside the safe zone. With the cut line at 2-over 146, Bang stood at 2-over with two holes remaining. She then sank a 5-meter birdie putt on the 17th hole (par 3) to move inside the cut line, and added another birdie from 3 meters on the 18th hole (par 5) to complete a 2-under 70.
Among the top-ranked players who missed the cut last week, Park Hyun-kyung climbed highest at this tournament. After opening with a 1-under 71 for a share of 14th place, she shaved two more strokes on Thursday to move up four spots into a tie for 10th at 3-under 141.
Jeong Yun-ji, who shot 1-under 71 both days, comfortably made the cut tied for 15th at 2-under 142, while Han Jin-sun, who holed out for an eagle, advanced to the third round tied for 25th at 1-under 143.
Park Hye-jun and Moon Jeong-min, who also missed last week's cut, reached the halfway point tied for 32nd alongside Bang Shin-sil, and Ji Han-sol joined the moving day field right at the cut line, tied for 49th at 2-over 146.
Some top-ranked players did fail to make the cut for the second consecutive week. Most notably, Noh Seung-hee, who missed only one cut all of last year, was eliminated after finishing tied for 63rd at 3-over 147.
The race for the title intensified as Kim Min-seon7 surged from tied for 67th to a share of the lead after firing 9-under on the day. With nine birdies for a bogey-free 9-under 63, Kim Min-seon7 reached 7-under 137 to join Kim Min-sol and Jeon Ye-seong atop the leaderboard.
Choi Ye-rim, who traded two birdies against two bogeys for an even-par 72, is tied for fourth at 5-under 139 alongside Kim Si-hyun and An Ji-hyun as she pursues her first career victory. Defending champion Kim Min-ju sits tied for seventh at 4-under 140 with Kim Ga-hee2 and Choi Jeong-won, while Ma Da-som, Jang Eun-su, Hong Hyun-ji, and Kim Na-hyun2 share 10th place at 3-under 141 with Park Hyun-kyung. Yoo Hyun-jo and Seo Gyo-rim reached the halfway point tied for 15th at 2-under 142 alongside Jeong Yun-ji.
