Yun Yi-na, Yoo Hyun-jo, Kang Min-ji share third place

Kim Sei-young watches the flight of her tee shot on the 12th hole during the first round of the 81st US Women's Open at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, on Friday. [AP]
Kim Sei-young watches the flight of her tee shot on the 12th hole during the first round of the 81st US Women's Open at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, on Friday. [AP]

Kim Sei-young opened her bid for a first major title with a strong first round at the US Women's Open (purse: $12.5 million), carding a 4-under-par 67 to sit in sole second place.

Playing at Riviera Country Club (par 71) in Pacific Palisades, California, on Friday, Kim posted five birdies against a single bogey in the first round of the 81st US Women's Open. She sits one stroke behind leader Jennifer Kupcho of the United States, who shot a 5-under-par 66.

Kim's previous best finish at this event was a share of eighth place in 2017. She managed her round steadily, hitting 71 percent of fairways and 61 percent of greens in regulation while needing only 25 putts.

Starting on the 10th hole (par 4), Kim stuck her second shot close to the cup for a birdie, then added another on the par-5 11th to build momentum. She made the turn 2 under, dropped a bogey on the par-3 third hole, but bounced back with birdies on three consecutive holes from the sixth through the ninth to vault into sole second place.

Particularly notable were back-to-back long putts of more than 8 meters on the par-4 eighth and par-4 ninth holes, where Kim showed sharp touch on the greens.

"The course was so difficult that I felt like I was being tested on every hole," Kim said after her round. "I'm happy I played quite solidly today. There are still three rounds to go, and I'll keep going with high expectations."

Fellow South Koreans Yoo Hyun-jo, Yun Yi-na and Kang Min-ji all shot 3-under-par 68 to share third place, while Shin Ji-yae and Australian-Korean Lee Min-jee — the 2023 champion — were tied for eighth at 2-under-par 69.

Kim Hyo-joo, ranked third in the world and a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour this season, struggled to a 3-over-par 74 and was tied for 87th.


yjc@heraldcorp.com