Yun I-na, who fired a 9-under-par 63 to take a two-shot lead. [Photo=LPGA]
Yun I-na, who fired a 9-under-par 63 to take a two-shot lead. [Photo=LPGA]

Yun I-na seized a two-shot lead after the opening round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, an LPGA Tour major, with a dominant display at Hazeltine National Golf Club.

Playing at the par-72 course in Chaska, Minnesota, on Thursday (Korean Standard Time), Yun carded nine birdies against zero bogeys for a 9-under-par 63, putting her two strokes clear of solo second-place Caris Davidson of Australia. The result gave Yun an ideal platform to claim her first LPGA Tour victory at a major.

Her 63 tied the tournament's all-time 18-hole scoring record. She became the sixth player in the championship's history to shoot that mark, joining Nelly Korda (2021), Kim Sei-young (2020), Kelly Shon (2017), Meg Mallon (1999) and Patty Sheehan (1984). Of those six, only Mallon and Shon did not go on to win the title.

Starting on the 10th hole, Yun needed just 24 putts for her round. Her birdie putts ranged from a 50-centimeter tap-in on the par-3 17th to a 5-meter conversion on the par-4 18th and a 10-meter make on the par-4 4th — distance proved no obstacle. She led the field in strokes gained putting on the day. The category was a weakness in her rookie season last year, when she ranked 132nd on tour, but she has since climbed to 29th.

In a post-round interview, Yun made no effort to hide her disbelief. "Honestly, I'm not sure how I shot a score like this," she told reporters on site. "I just played golf and the ball kept dropping into the hole. It really was an amazing experience."

Kim A-lim posted a 5-under-par 67 — six birdies, one bogey — to share third place with Alex Pano of the United States. Starting from the 10th hole, Kim made six birdies before dropping a bogey on the par-4 9th, her final hole of the day.

Choi Hye-jin was among a group tied for fifth at 4-under 68, alongside Megan Khang of the United States. Rookie Lee Dong-eun opened at 3-under 69, sharing eighth place with 2024 champion Yang Hee-young and Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, among others.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda, bidding for a third consecutive major title, opened at 2-under 70 and was tied for 19th after hitting her tee shot into the water for a double bogey on the par-4 16th. Korda, however, rallied from seven strokes back to win the US Women's Open earlier this month.

Kim Hyo-joo was tied for 27th at 1-under 71, alongside Shin Ji-eun, Minjee Lee of Australia, Patty Tavatanakit of Thailand and Yin Ruoning of China. Ko Jin-young was among a group tied for 45th at even-par 72, joined by Park Sung-hyun, Kim Sei-young and Lottie Woad of England.


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