Minami Katsu Sets New Record in Shanghai
Japanese golfer Minami Katsu dazzled at the LPGA Shanghai tournament, setting a new course record with an impressive round of 11 under par, finishing with a long putt on the 18th hole. Katsu, with six birdies in the first nine holes, added six more after a bogey on the 10th hole of the Qizhong Garden Golf Club. The 27-year-old player reached a total of 13 under par, seeking her first victory on the circuit.Katsu, who achieved 12 birdies in his round, surpassed the previous record set by Sei Young Kim last year on this same course. Ina Yoon finished in second place at 11 under par, followed by Americans Jenny Bae and Lindy Duncan, both with 67 strokes. Jenny Bae, who was aiming for the lead, suffered a setback on the 18th hole, finishing with a triple bogey and a total of 69 strokes. Her round included eight birdies and two bogeys. The leader from the previous night, Arpichaya Yubol, scored 71 strokes, tying for fifth place with Somi Lee and Jeeno Thitikul. The Shanghai event is the first of five tournaments in Asia, followed by two weeks in South Korea, including the International Crown event, and other tournaments in Malaysia and Japan. Last week, Youmin Hwang continued the LPGA streak, where each of the 25 official tournaments this year has had different winners. Hwang was the sixth South Korean player to win on the LPGA this year.It was a pretty flawless round, with some luck, but overall very good. My personal best was 10 under par, so today is a new record.
Minami Katsu
