Kim Seo-a signs autographs for Japanese fans after finishing the first round as the leader. [Photo provided by Sema Sports Marketing]
Kim Seo-a signs autographs for Japanese fans after finishing the first round as the leader. [Photo provided by Sema Sports Marketing]

Kim Seo-a, a 14-year-old middle school student at Sinseong Middle School in Anyang, took the solo lead after the first round of the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour's Suntory Ladies Open.

Playing as an invited amateur, Kim carded nine birdies against no bogeys Thursday at Rokko Kokusai Golf Club in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture (par 72, 6,612 yards), shooting a 9-under 63 to lead second-place Kuwaki Shiho of Japan by one stroke.

Kim drew attention on the par-5 17th hole, where she reached for her driver on her second shot. With 230 meters to the pin, she found the green in two, then two-putted from 10 meters for birdie after narrowly missing an eagle.

That birdie on 17 lifted her into a share of the lead, and she followed with another birdie on 18 to head into the second round one stroke clear of the field. Kim averaged 265 meters off the tee, and her aggressive, power-driven play drew notice throughout the round.

"The fairways were narrow, so I focused hard on my tee shots," Kim said after her round. "My second shots did not always go the way I wanted, which was a bit frustrating, but my putting was good and that kept the score low. I want to enjoy the rest of the rounds and keep playing with the same fun attitude I had today."


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