Plays 17 holes before sunset suspension, cards 4-under
Trails solo leader Jeong Yu-jun by two strokes
Shin Sang-hun, the leader in KPGA Tour Genesis Points, kept his momentum going Thursday, moving into contention on the opening day of the Lexus Masters, which carries a purse of 1 billion won ($748,000).
Playing at Club72 Country Club's Ocean Course (par 71) in Incheon, Shin completed 17 holes of the first round, carding five birdies and one bogey for a 4-under score before play was suspended.
Shin could not finish the 18th hole (par 5) due to sunset and stood tied for third when the round was halted. Solo leader Jeong Yu-jun posted eight birdies and two bogeys for a 6-under 65, holding a two-stroke advantage.
Shin, who teed off in the final group, had driven the fairway on the 18th before play was called. The remaining hole is scheduled to be completed Friday morning.
Shin has been in strong form since winning the Golfzon Open in September, recording five consecutive top-10 finishes. That run includes a tie for eighth at the Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Choi Kyung-ju Invitational, a tie for sixth at the Amazing Cree Open, a runner-up finish at The Charity Classic, and a tie for fourth at the most recent Genesis Championship.
That form has carried Shin to the top of the Genesis Points standings. Shin leads with 5,255.51 points, ahead of Jeong Chan-min in second with 4,744.77 and Jang Yu-bin in third with 4,576.75.
If Shin wins this tournament while Jeong Chan-min finishes fourth or lower and Jang Yu-bin finishes second or lower, Shin will clinch the Genesis Award for the first time in his career regardless of the season finale's outcome. Only the KPGA Tour Championship, opening Nov. 5 in Jeju, remains after this event.
Despite rain and strong winds, Shin made a strong start, picking up four birdies on the front nine. After adding a birdie at the 15th (par 4), Shin's second shot at the 16th (par 4) fell short of the green into the rough, but a 2.3-meter par putt saved the hole. At the 17th (par 3) as darkness fell, Shin hit the green off the tee but three-putted for a bogey, dropping one stroke.
Solo leader Jeong Yu-jun, who urgently needs to secure a tour card for next season, surged to the top of the leaderboard on day one. Ranked 111th in Genesis Points, Jeong said after the round: "The wind was strong and it affected my ball-striking, but my putting was solid. The putts kept dropping today, which let me finish with a good score. I'll try not to think about the standings in the remaining rounds and just play with a relaxed mind."
Only the top 70 players in Genesis Points after this tournament will qualify for the season finale, making the result here especially critical for Jeong.
Jang Yu-bin, third in the Genesis Points standings, opened with a 3-under 68 — five birdies and two bogeys — to sit tied for sixth. Jeong Chan-min, second in the standings, carded a 1-under 70 to sit tied for 17th.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
