Yun I-na tees off on the 18th hole. [AFP]
Yun I-na tees off on the 18th hole. [AFP]

The South Korean pairing of Kim Ah-rim and Yun I-na opened in a share of fourth place at the Dow Championship, the LPGA Tour's only team event, which carries a $3.3 million purse.

Playing foursomes at Midland Country Club (par 70) in Midland, Michigan, on Thursday, the pair carded a combined 2-under-par 68 to tie for fourth alongside the American duo of Allison Lee and Lilia Vu and the Japanese pairing of Minami Katsu and Shibuno Hinako. Kim and Yun made five birdies but dropped three bogeys during the round.

Three teams share the lead at 3-under-par 67: Nicole Broch Estrup of Denmark and Gemma Dryburgh of Scotland; Michelle Zhang of China and Camille Boyd of the United States; and Hira Naveed of Australia and Gurleen Kaur of the United States.

The tournament features 72 two-player teams competing over 72 holes of stroke play, with the format alternating by round. Rounds 1 and 3 are played in foursomes — where partners alternate hitting the same ball — while Rounds 2 and 4 use a four-ball format, in which each player plays her own ball and the better score counts for the team.

Kim and Yun opened with a birdie on the first hole, then added consecutive birdies on Nos. 4 and 5 before picking up another on No. 7 to reach 4 under through the front nine. Bogeys on Nos. 12, 14 and 15 cost them ground, but a fifth birdie on No. 17 left them in a share of fourth heading into the second round.

The pairing of Kim Hyo-joo and Choi Hye-jin sits in a share of 13th at 1-under 69. LPGA Tour veteran Julie Inkster of the United States, a 31-time winner on tour, teamed with Angel Yin and also opened at 1-under 69 to share 13th.

Defending champions Lee So-mi and Lim Jin-hee are tied for 16th at even-par 70, alongside the pairing of Anna Lin and Joo Su-bin.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda of the United States, paired with Olivia Cowan of Germany, also sits in a share of 16th at even-par 70.

Ko Jin-young, paired with Hataoka Nasa of Japan, opened at 1-over-par 71 to share 27th. The pairing of Lee Jeong-eun (No. 5) and Lee Jeong-eun (No. 6) — two players who share the same name — carded an 8-over-par 78 to sit 71st out of 74 teams, putting them in danger of missing the cut.


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