Leads Kim Yong-tae, Keawalmanee by 4 strokes; chasing third career title and first in stroke play
Bae Yong-jun held the solo lead for the second consecutive round at the Amazing Cree Open, a newly established KPGA Tour event with a purse of 700 million won ($523,000), moving a step closer to his first victory of the season.
Bae carded a 6-under-par 64 on Friday in the second round at Flamingo Country Club (par 70) in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, with seven birdies against a single bogey.
His two-round total of 12-under-par 128 put him four strokes clear of joint runners-up Kim Yong-tae and Brandon Keawalmanee (United States), both at 8-under-par 132. Bae had led by just one stroke after the first round.
Bae opened his scoring with a birdie on the par-5 second hole, then reeled off three consecutive birdies on holes six through eight to build momentum. He made four birdies on the front nine alone and added another on the par-4 10th. His highlight came on the par-4 14th, where his third shot from the fringe rolled straight into the cup for a chip-in birdie.
He dropped his only stroke of the day with a bogey on the par-3 17th but closed with a birdie on the par-5 18th. Speaking after his round, Bae said he had missed the cut at his previous tournament after playing too hastily, and that the work he put in to address his weaknesses ahead of this week appeared to be paying off.
Bae, who won the Honors K·Solago CC Han Jang-sang Invitational in 2022 and the KPGA Classic last year, is chasing his third career title. Both of his previous victories came in modified Stableford format events, making this week also a bid for his first win in stroke play.
Park Eun-shin shot a 4-under round Friday to move into sole fourth place at 7-under-par 133, while Moon Do-yeop and 10 others are tied for fifth at 6-under-par 134.
Genesis Points leader Jang Yu-bin (4,412.70 points) managed only an even-par 70 to sit tied for 43rd at 2-under-par 138. Second-ranked Shin Sang-hun (3,885.44 points) and third-ranked Song Min-hyeok (3,728.49 points) are both tied for 16th at 5-under-par 135.
The winner's share is 140 million won, with 1,000 Genesis Points also on offer for the champion.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
