Sei Young Kim leads the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea

Sei Young Kim leads the BMW Ladies Championship

HAENAM, South Korea – LPGA Tour veterans Sei Young Kim and Lindy Duncan shined in the first round of the BMW Ladies Championship on Thursday. Sei Young Kim, 32, signed a card of 62 strokes, ten under par, thanks to eight birdies and an eagle, which placed her at the top of the leaderboard at Pine Beach Golf Links. Duncan, 34, was two strokes away, with birdies on three of the last five holes. Hyo Joo Kim was positioned between the two golfers, with a round of 63 strokes. Sei Young Kim, who joined the LPGA Tour in 2015, a year after Duncan, has twelve career wins on the circuit, while Duncan has yet to achieve any. Kim reached nine under par and consolidated his lead with a birdie on the 15th hole.

I’m close to my hometown, so I have a lot of family, cousins and many fans. I had a great start from the first hole to the 18th, receiving a lot of support.

Sei Young Kim

Rio Takeda, with 65 strokes, placed in a group that shared fourth place. Brooke Henderson of Canada, signed 67 strokes, while American Lucy Li, who achieved a hole-in-one on the 13th hole and won a car, completed the round with 68 strokes.

Hole-in-one by Lucy Li

It was a good shot into the wind. I hit it right at the flag. I thought it might be a little short, but it went in. I started freaking out. I thought, this is the hole-in-one hole. I’ve been complaining all week to my caddie about not holing one this year.

Lucy Li

Hannah Green, the defending champion, started with consecutive birdies, but stalled and finished with 68 strokes, just like the Australian Minjee Lee.

Green’s victory last year was the third of the 2024 season, making her the first Australian player since Karrie Webb to win three times in a season on the LPGA Tour.

Green’s recent results include a tie for 28th and a missed cut in Canada in August, and a tie for 66th in Arkansas in September.

My golf game hasn’t been where I’d like it to be. The last few months have probably been the most difficult time of my career. I was in Australia for the last three weeks, so I could reset.

Hannah Green

This is the first of two consecutive tournaments in South Korea, with the International Crown team event scheduled for next week. Jeeno Thitikul, last week, became the first multiple winner on the LPGA Tour this season, after winning a five-hole playoff in Shanghai against Minami Katsu, who signed for 68 strokes on Thursday in South Korea. Thitikul is not participating this week, but will be part of the Thailand team at the International Crown next week. After the International Crown, two more LPGA events are scheduled on the five-event Asian swing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Japan.