Rookie Kim Ga-hee 2 takes the surprise first-round lead at the Korea Women's Open. [Photo provided by KGA]
Rookie Kim Ga-hee 2 takes the surprise first-round lead at the Korea Women's Open. [Photo provided by KGA]

Rookie Kim Ga-hee 2 shot to a surprise first-round lead Thursday at the Mercedes-Benz Korea Women's Open, women's golf's national title event, which carries a purse of 1.5 billion won (approximately $985,000).

Playing at Lakewood Country Club's Sangil-Supgil course (par 71) in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, Kim carded a bogey-free 4-under-par 67 — four birdies, no dropped shots — to sit two strokes clear of the field. The KLPGA Tour rookie made her debut this season and had already shown her quality with three top-10 finishes in 10 starts. Thursday she announced her potential in full.

Kim opened with birdies on the 1st and 3rd holes, then strung together back-to-back birdies on the 11th and 12th to reach 4 under and claim the top spot on the leaderboard. She was tested on the par-5 15th, where her tee shot found the right rough and forced a layup, but she got up and down from her third shot with a long par putt to escape without a bogey.

After her round, Kim said she took up golf after falling in love with the game watching veteran Lee Jung-min. "She's my role model — full of charisma and with a beautiful iron game," Kim said. "But when I actually meet her in person, I get so shy I can barely say a word." Lee finished the day at 3-over-par 74, tied for 48th.

On leading the tournament, Kim said winning her first career title at a major with such a storied history would be "a true honor." She added: "There are still three rounds to go. I believe that if I keep giving my best every day, just like today, the results will follow."

Ko Ji-won, winner of the Siena Open, posted a 2-under-par 69 — four birdies against two bogeys — to share second place with Choi Ye-bon and Kim Hyo-mun. Choi Ga-bin shot 1-under-par 70 and joined Park Bo-gyeom, Ma Seo-young and amateur Kim Gyu-bin in a tie for fifth.

Veteran Shin Ji-ae traded two birdies and two bogeys for an even-par round, placing her in a tie for ninth alongside Seong Yu-jin, Seong Eun-jeong and national team member Yang Yun-seo. Shin won this event twice before, in 2006 and 2008.

Park Min-ji, playing in the same group as Shin, struggled to a 4-over-par 75 and sits tied for 65th. The 20-time tour winner made two birdies but offset them with four bogeys and a double bogey.

Contender Park Hyun-kyung was disqualified for violating a local rule banning the use of distance-measuring devices. A Korea Golf Association official said players had been notified of the prohibition before the tournament began.

Park was found to have used a distance-measuring device on holes 1 through 3. Under the rules, a first violation carries a two-stroke penalty and a second results in disqualification. Wang Zixuan of China also received a two-stroke penalty for using a measuring device on the 1st hole.


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