'Just 2 shots behind the leader' Lee So-mi, tied for second on the first day of the LPGA major... Amateur Yang Yun-seo 'surges with surprise performance'

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee So-mi (27, Shinhan Financial Group) swung the bat with great force from the first day of the first major tournament of the LPGA Tour season.

On the 24th (Korea time), Lee recorded a 5-under-par 67 with six birdies and one bogey in the first round of the Chevron Championship (total purse $9 million) held at Memorial Park Golf Course (par 72) in Houston, Texas, USA.

Tied for second place alongside Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit, Lee So-mi closed the gap to the sole leader, Nelly Korda (USA, 7-under-par 65), by just two shots.

Debuting on the 2024 LPGA Tour, Lee So-mi previously won her first title in June last year at the Dow Championship, teaming up with Lim Jin-hee. After entering the top 10 in two consecutive tournaments early this season to build momentum, Lee showed a somewhat sluggish performance later on, but regained perfect form on the first day of the major stage, igniting a battle for the lead.

Starting her round at the 10th hole (par 4), Lee So-mi secured a birdie on the very first hole, signaling an extraordinary start. She then caught consecutive birdies on the 13th (par 4) and 14th (par 5) holes, reducing her score by three strokes in the front nine alone.

Lee So-mi's upward momentum continued into the back nine. She made birdies on the 1st (par 5) and 3rd (par 5) holes, then reduced her score by one more stroke on the 8th (par 5) hole. The only blemish was a bogey on the final 9th hole (par 3).

The strong performance of Korean players continued as well. Yoon In-a and Lim Jin-hee both shot 3-under-par 69, tying for eighth place. Notably, amateur Yang Yun-seo (Incheon Girls' High School Affiliated Broadcasting and Communication High School) entered the top 10 by reducing her score by three strokes, including one eagle.

Following them, world No. 3 Kim Hyo-joo climbed to a tie for 18th with a 2-under-par 70, while Choi Hye-jin marked a tie for 25th with a 1-under-par 71. In contrast, 2019 champion Ko Jin-young, who won this tournament in 2019, finished with a 2-over-par 74, tying for 80th place, showing a somewhat sluggish start.

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*This content was translated by AI.