Three-under 68 lifts total to 8-under par; Choi Chan joins with bogey-free 5-birdie round
Rookie Ahn Ji-min moved into a share of the lead after the second round of the KPGA Tour's KPGA Championship, positioning himself for a run at his first career victory.
Ahn carded five birdies against two bogeys for a 3-under-par 68 on Thursday at the 69th KPGA Championship, held at A-One Country Club's South-West course (par 71) in Yangsan, Gyeonggi Province. The tournament carries a purse of 1.6 billion won (approximately $1,050,000).
Having shot a 5-under 66 in the opening round, Ahn reached a 36-hole total of 8-under-par 134, drawing level with Choi Chan, who posted a bogey-free, five-birdie 68 to join him atop the leaderboard.
Ahn made his KPGA Tour debut last year and had entered nine tournaments before this week, with a tie for 33rd at the KPGA Founders Cup last month as his best finish.
"On the last hole, No. 9 — a par 5 — I hit my first putt a little short and had about three meters left, but that putt dropped and I was able to finish the round in a great mood," Ahn said after his round. "It's my first time playing the KPGA Championship, and I'm even happier knowing I made the cut with a result I'm satisfied with."
Ahn picked up birdies on holes No. 10 (par 4) and No. 12 (par 3) before back-to-back bogeys on holes No. 14 and No. 15 stalled his momentum. He responded with birdies on holes No. 16 (par 4) and No. 18 (par 4), then capped his round with a birdie on the par-5 ninth to finish in a share of first.
Choi Chan, who had shot a 3-under 68 in the first round, climbed the leaderboard Thursday with a focused, bogey-free round that included five birdies.
Kim Min-jun, who had held the outright lead after Round 1, slipped to a share of third after an even-par round that featured four birdies but also two bogeys and a double bogey. His 36-hole total of 7-under 135 left him one stroke off the lead, tied with Jeong Chan-min, Jo Woo-young and Lee Tae-hee.
Jeong Chan-min was the day's standout, posting the best single-round score in the field with a 6-under 65 that included an eagle, five birdies and one bogey.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
