Second-year pro Kim Si-hyun, 20, upset veteran Park Min-ji, 28, a 19-time career winner.
Kim defeated Park 2&1 in the first round of group play at the 18th Doosan Match Play (total prize 1 billion won) on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, held Thursday at Ladena Golf Club (par 72) in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. The victory came with two holes up and one hole remaining.
Kim, who finished second in Rookie of the Year points last season, has yet to claim a tour title. Facing Park, a senior player sharing the same sponsor NH Investment & Securities, Kim pulled ahead by one hole with a birdie on the 10th (par 4), then stretched her lead to three holes with consecutive birdies on the 14th and 15th (both par 4). Park's bogey on the first hole of the back nine (par 4) extended the gap to four holes.
Park narrowed the gap with two birdies but had to concede the match on the eighth hole.
Kim Si-hyun, Park Min-ji, Kim Min-ju, and Ahn Sun-ju are all in Group 16. Kim Min-ju defeated Ahn by one hole (3&1), earning one point like Kim Si-hyun. Only the group winner advances to the round of 16.
