Sei Young Kim and Lindy Duncan were the low ones to follow as the strongest challengers after Round 1 of the BMW Ladies Championship. Collectively, they proved to be all-stars on the course. The tournament is underway right now in South Korea. Most recently, it’s been Kim, 32, who has grabbed the baton, taking control with an electric round of 10-under 62. Duncan, 34, not far behind, ends the round just behind, sitting at 8-under to conclude play.
Kim put on a show, making eight birdies and an eagle. She further extended her advantage by making a birdie on the par-3 15th hole. This marked a significant achievement for Kim, who joined the LPGA Tour in 2015 and has since established herself as a formidable competitor.
Duncan has been a steady force on the LPGA Tour for almost two decades. She ended with a flourish, making birdies on three of her last five holes, to end the day only two shots back of Kim.
Defending champion Hannah Green was tested after making a run of three consecutive birdies to start her round. She ended the day shooting the highest round with a 68. Green recently scored her third victory of the 2024 campaign. Jordan’s win made her the first Australian player since Karrie Webb to record three wins in a single season on the LPGA Tour.
In contention were Minjee Lee and Brooke Henderson, both having shot rounds of 68. On top of that, Lucy Li did break through with a spectacular hole-in-one on the par-3 13th hole, winning herself a car. Li expressed her excitement about the achievement, stating:
“It was a good number into the wind. I hit it right at the pin,” – Lucy Li.
Rio Takeda’s round of 65 put him in a four-way tie for fourth that further proved how deep the competition within the tournament is.
“Thought it might end up a little short, but it went in. I just started freaking out. I was like, this is the hole-in-one hole. I’ve been complaining all week to my caddie about having not holed out this year.” – Lucy Li.
Kim expressed her connection to the local area, which likely fueled her performance. She noted,
Kim expressed her connection to the local area, which likely fueled her performance. She noted,
“This is near my hometown, so I have lots of family, my cousins, a lot of fans,” – Sei Young Kim.
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