Lydia Ko, Sung Hyun Park share lead in South Korea

Park Sung-hyun made the most of serene conditions at the Sky 72’s Ocean Course by carding an opening round 10-under-par 62 to surge into a four-stroke lead at the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship in her native South Korea on Thursday.

In position to take the top spot in the world, the second-ranked Ko overcame a double bogey with two late birdies in a 3-under 69. She followed that up with a second round 74, which she bounced back from on Saturday with a 5-under par, 67 to return to the top of the leaderboard.

With Friday’s playing partner Park tied for 25th at 3-under, Ko is also poised to move back into first place.

Sung Hyun Park of South Korea watches her shot on the third hole…

The 18-year-old dropped two shots on the par four 14th after driving left into the water and missing a four-foot putt.

“The closer we get or if there is a switch, the media is going to talk about it. But, you know, I’m sorry, but I’m going to try and ignore you guys”, Ko told reporters after coming from seven strokes back to take a one-shot advantage over Lexi Thompson. Park and Yoon-Ji Cho are two shots behind Ko.

“I thought it was not an easy course, but my tee shots, my iron shots, my putting, everything just went really well”, Park said through a translator.

36-hole leader Lydia Ko led by one stroke at the start of the day and quickly extended her lead with four birdies in her first six holes.

“I think today, I was especially lucky, but looking ahead to the next three days, I know that double or triple bogeys are a possibility”, Park said “So, it’s really anybody’s game at this point”.

The two best players in women’s golf will clash in South Korea this week, as the LPGA Tour makes its annual stop in the country.

This time around, Park played her way into the lone LPGA event in South Korea, as No. 2 on the KLPGA money list, and she said her experience previous year came in handy in her first LPGA round.

But then on the par-4 11th, after another pinpoint drive, she came up short on a wedge and failed to get up and down for her first bogey in 39 holes.

Good on her for keeping an open mind – not sure we’d all be that courageous. “I think there’s going to be even harder ones tomorrow”. Thompson had a 69, and Lee shot 67.