Paju: South Korean Jenny Shin grabbed a share of the first-round lead at the lone LPGA tournament held on her home soil Thursday. Shin fired a bogey-free round of eight-under 64 to start the BMW Ladies Championship at Seowon Hills at Seowon Valley Country Club in Paju, northwest of Seoul in Gyeonggi Province. Shin, whose Korean birth name is Ji-eun, hit all 14 fairways and reached 17 greens in regulation. The 64 was Shin’s best opening-round score of 2024.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Shin is tied atop the leaderboard with Hannah Green of Australia and Ashleigh Buhai of South Africa. Shin remarked on her performance, “I usually struggle on Korean golf courses, but I think I let go of that expectation of being a Korean and needing to show a certain result. I think I’ve always had a very high expectation of that,” she said. “I think I just stayed patient and let myself shine without trying so hard. There’s so much golf left. So I’m just going to stay patient and keep grinding.”
Another South Korean playe
r, Ryu Hae-ran, is alone in fourth place after shooting a 65. She had eight birdies against one bogey, and is one of just two South Korean players to win on the LPGA Tour this year, along with Amy Yang. Ryu commented on her gameplay, “I think overall, I hit (the ball) very well today and created a lot of opportunities,” she said. “There were some missed opportunities here and there, and so in the remaining three rounds, I’m going to focus on playing rounds that leave no regret.”
Three more South Koreans, Choi Hye-jin, Sung Yu-jin, and Ji Eun-hee, each shot a 66 to tie for fifth. Minjee Lee, the defending champion from Australia, carded a 67 to sit in an 11-way tie for 11th place.