'Buddy Show' Yoon In-a, KPMG Women's PGA Championship Day 1 Lowest Score Sets Solo Lead... Chasing First LPGA Victory

*This content was translated by AI.

Yoon In-a (23, Solare) took the solo lead on the first day of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship (total purse $13 million), the third major of the LPGA Tour season.

On the 26th (Korean time), Yoon shot a 9-under-par 63 in the first round at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, USA (par 72), recording nine birdies with no bogeys.

Among the 156th players in the field, Yoon posted the best score, announcing a strong start with a two-stroke lead over second-place Karise Davidson (Australia, 7-under-par 65) in solo first place.

Her condition was exceptional from the first day. The 63 tied the lowest single-round score in the history of this tournament, matching Patty Sheehan (1984), Meg Mallon (1999), Kelly Kuchar (2017), Kim Sei-young (2020), and Nelly Korda (2021). Of these five, three won the tournament that same year, raising expectations that Yoon could also claim her first victory of the season.

After conquering the 2024 KLPGA Tour and stepping onto the U.S. stage last year, Yoon finished outside the cut in eight of the 26th tournaments she entered last year and managed only one top-10 finish.

This season, she has shown a completely different form. She has recorded four top-10 finishes in 11 tournaments, including a personal best of fourth place at the JM Eagle LA Championship.

She created surprise from the start of the tournament. Starting at the 10th hole (par 4), Yoon made par on four consecutive holes before birdying the 14th (par 4). She then reduced her score again at the 15th (par 5), and continued to lower her score at the 17th (par 3) and 18th (par 4) holes.

In the back nine, Yoon reduced her score at the 3rd hole (par 5), then made a long putt on the 4th (par 3) to build momentum with consecutive birdies. From the 6th hole (par 4), she embarked on a three-birdie streak. Displaying excellent putting form by sinking long putts, Yoon birdied the 8th hole (par 3) with a sharp iron shot after another birdie, and then saved par on the final 9th hole (par 4) to finish the first day in solo first place.

After the round, Yoon expressed satisfaction, saying, "I tried not to think about anything. I focused on what needed to be done and the process. I think I did really well in that regard."

Kim Ah-rim (31), the 2020 U.S. Women's Open champion, shot a 5-under-par 67 to tie for third place alongside Alex Noh (USA), while 'King Without a Crown' Choi Hye-jin (27) started in a tie for fifth with a 4-under-par 68.

Rookie Lee Dong-eun (22) also started in the upper echelons with a 3-under-par 69, tying for eighth place, while Yang Hee-young (37), who conquered this tournament in 2024, also finished in the same position. Five Korean players finished inside the top 10.

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*This content was translated by AI.