Jung leads Kim Yeon-seop by one stroke after eagle, eight birdies
Shin Sang-hoon, Lee Dong-min, Moon Dong-hyun, Jo Woo-young share third
Jung Chan-min seized sole lead after the opening round of the KPGA Tour The Charity Classic on Thursday, making a strong bid for his first victory of the season.
Playing the Valley-Seowon course (par 72) at Seowon Valley Country Club in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, Jung carded an eagle, eight birdies and one bogey for a 9-under-par 63.
He finished one stroke ahead of Kim Yeon-seop, who shot an 8-under 64, while Shin Sang-hoon, Lee Dong-min, Moon Dong-hyun and Jo Woo-young were tied for third at 7-under 65.
Jung, a two-time winner on the KPGA Tour, has twice finished runner-up this year without breaking through for a win. He placed second at the KPGA Founders Cup in May, and at the Golfzon Open in September he held sole lead through the 16th hole of the final round before Shin caught him and beat him in a playoff.
Starting from the 10th hole, Jung opened with back-to-back birdies and added another at the par-4 14th. He reached the par-5 16th in two and drained a 3.8-meter eagle putt to keep the momentum going. A bogey at the par-3 17th was his only blemish, but he bounced back with a birdie at the par-4 18th. He then played the back nine bogey-free, picking up four more birdies to finish as the outright leader.
Jung has stood out this season not only for his distance off the tee but also for his accuracy, ranking first on tour in scoring average. Intensive work on his ball-striking during a training camp, with a focus on swing rhythm and precision over raw power, has translated into improved performance on the course.
"The course setup was tricky, but I had some luck on my side and my shots came together better than expected, which led to a good score," Jung said. "For the remaining three days, I'll focus on playing my own game and sticking to what my caddie and I have discussed."
The tournament is the final event that will determine the field for the Genesis Championship, which opens Oct. 22. The top 36 players in the Genesis points standings earn a spot in the field, with 1,000 points on offer for the winner.
Jung, currently fourth in the Genesis points standings, is well positioned to secure his place in the field. Kim Yeon-seop, ranked 47th, moved into sole second place with nine birdies and one bogey, giving himself a stronger footing in the qualification race.
Lee Dong-min, 42nd in the Genesis standings, and Jo Woo-young, 34th, also opened in a share of third place.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
