Park Eun-shin speaks to reporters after finishing Round 1 in first place. [Photo=KPGA]
Park Eun-shin speaks to reporters after finishing Round 1 in first place. [Photo=KPGA]

Park Eun-shin seized the first-round lead at the KPGA Classic with Aimvita, which carries a purse of 700 million won (approximately $460,000).

Playing Thursday at Cypress Golf & Resort's North-West Course (par 72) in Seogwipo, Jeju, Park carded 10 birdies against a single bogey under the modified Stableford format, accumulating 19 points to lead second-place Jeong Jae-hyeon by three points.

Under the modified Stableford system, a par scores zero points, a birdie two, an eagle five and an albatross eight, while a bogey costs one point and a double bogey or worse costs three. The format rewards aggressive play.

Starting on the 10th hole, Park opened with back-to-back birdies on his first two holes, then converted a bunker shot to within 4.4 meters of the pin on the par-5 14th into another birdie. He added consecutive birdies on the 18th and 1st holes before stringing together four straight birdies from the 3rd through the 6th. He traded a birdie and a bogey on the 8th and 9th holes to close his round.

The performance gives Park a chance to claim his third career tour victory, more than three years and seven months after his last win at the Golfzon-Toray Open in November 2022. "It feels great to post a good score after such a long time," he said. "There was some wind, but my putting was on, and I was able to keep the momentum going." Looking ahead to Friday, he added: "I'm expecting the wind to be stronger in the afternoon than it was today, but I still plan to play aggressively and go for it when the situation calls for it."

Jeong Jae-hyeon posted eight birdies with no bogeys for 16 points to take second place. Park Jeong-hun fired two eagles on the day to finish with 15 points, sharing third place with Jang Yu-bin and Kim Chan-woo. "On the par-5 14th, a downhill slider of more than 10 meters dropped in for eagle and really got me going," Park Jeong-hun said. "It wasn't an easy putt, but it luckily hit the pin and went in. After that, my confidence grew and I was able to ride the momentum to a good score."

Defending champion Bae Yong-jun managed only three birdies against three bogeys for two points, leaving him tied for 76th and in danger of missing the cut.


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