Published July 17, 2008 on September 30, 2021

Australia’s Lee Stays Close to Leaders in Weather-Disrupted Opening Round of Hana Financial Group Championship

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World number seven Minjee Lee of Australia rode on her recent run of good form to stay in touch with the leaders at the weather-hit KLPGA Tour’s Hana Financial Group Championship on Thursday.

 

Lee, fresh off a joint-second finish in the United States last week, is five-under with five holes to play and trails clubhouse pacesetters Yun Ji Jeong and Su Bin An by just a shot when bad light stopped play at the Adonis Country Club in Pocheon, Gyeonggi-do.

 

South Korea’s Kim Ji Yeong2 currently leads the pack at seven-under-par through 15 holes before fading light suspended play for the day.

 

It might be early days but An is already determined to establish herself as one of the genuine contenders for the championship.

 

“To be honest, I’m feeling confident especially with the way I’m playing in the second half of the season. I can feel like I’m slowly being rewarded for all the hard work I’ve put in since the start of the year. With only a few tournaments left in the season, I’m just hoping I can claim at least one win now,” said An.

 

The start of the KRW 1.5 billion (approximately US$1.2 million) event, which is part of the Ladies Asian Tour (LAT) Series, was delayed for nearly three hours due to heavy fog.

 

But it did not stop Lee from making her presence felt by marking her scorecard with an eagle and three birdies in her flawless opening 13 holes to provisionally tied for fourth spot.

 

Lee is among the 42 golfers alongside two other international stars – world No. 9 Lydia Ko and No. 31 Yealimi Noh – who will return at 8.30 am (local time) tomorrow to complete their play.

 

Lee, a seven-time winner on the LPGA Tour including a breakthrough Major triumph at the Evian Championship in July, is gunning for her first KLPGA Tour title in only her second start.

 

She marked her debut with a creditable joint-ninth two years ago then in the inaugural edition of the Hana Financial Group Championship.

 

New Zealand’s two-time Olympic medallist Ko was clinging on even-par through 13 holes after trading two birdies against two bogeys while Noh managed to pick up a morale-boosting birdie at the 14th before the play suspension to end the day one-over with four holes remaining.

 

Noh endured a difficult start which saw her mix three bogeys with a birdie to turn in 37.

 

Thailand’s Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong was the best performer among the six ‘Asian Prospects’ invitees after she finished in provisional joint-26th.

 

Sherman, who is two-under through 17 holes, will return to the 18th tomorrow in a bid to complete a hat-trick of birdies after she gained two successive strokes at the 16th and 17th.

 

Her newly-turned professional compatriot Jaravee Boonchant also put herself in the running to advance to the weekend by carding a solid 71 to be tied 58th.

 

“I’m eager to take on the next chapter of my golfing career as a professional and see how I fare off with the best players in the world,” vowed Jaravee, who had recently graduated from Duke University in the US.

 

“Being a professional is a lot different than playing college golf but I’m prepared to take on the challenge and put in the hard work to prove to myself that I can compete shoulder to shoulder with the established pros.”

 

Jaravee is also thrilled at the prospects of being part of the LAT series in the coming years.

 

“I think LAT series would provide more opportunities to the players to participate in big events, to expose to different venues, and to compete against great players around Asia,” she explained.

 

“It also gives us a chance to secure a tour card overseas, without going through q-school, if we win a LAT event.”

 

Live scores from the Hana Financial Group Championship are available here.