Kim Hyo-joo sits in a tie for sixth place after the opening round. [Photo=Tournament organizing committee]
Kim Hyo-joo sits in a tie for sixth place after the opening round. [Photo=Tournament organizing committee]

Kim Hyo-joo, chasing a third consecutive title, opened in a tie for sixth place Thursday at the Aramco Korea Championship on the Ladies European Tour, which carries a $2 million purse.

Kim carded five birdies and one bogey for a 4-under-par 68 at New Korea Country Club (par 72) in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, sharing sixth place with Park Sung-hyun and Shannon Tan of Singapore, among others. She sits three shots behind leader Patricie Maczkova of the Czech Republic, who fired seven birdies and no bogeys for a 65 — matching the course record set last year by Park Seo-jin.

Yamashita Miyu of Japan, this season's AIG Women's Open champion, shot a 5-under 67 to join Olivia Cowan of Germany and Lily May Humphreys of England in a tie for second.

Kim had missed the cut at last week's Lotte Championship on the LPGA Tour in Hawaii, but showed a completely different game just one week later. After making a bogey on the sixth hole, she bounced back with five birdies over the remaining holes, including three consecutive birdies on holes 15 through 17 on the back nine to push herself into contention.

Park Sung-hyun also turned in a strong round, posting four birdies with no bogeys. "I can't remember the last time I played bogey-free," Park said after her round. "During the practice rounds and the pro-am, I felt my overall ball-striking was better than last week, and today my ball-striking and putting both felt good."

National team member Kim Gyu-bin opened in a tie for 11th with a 3-under 69. LPGA Tour rookie Lee Dong-eun shot a 2-under 70 to share 16th place with fellow national team member Koo Min-ji.


sports@heraldcorp.com