Canadian-based South Korean SooBin Kim shot a course-record -9 63 overnight to leave top-ranked Lydia Ko and Canadian Brooke Henderson seven strokes behind at the Women’s Australian Open.
Kim, who moved to Canada from South Korea with her family when she was 10 and is based in Langley, B.C., birdied seven of her first 12 holes.
Ranked 256th in the world, Kim was playing her first LPGA tournament round this year because her low ranking failed to gain her direct entry into the initial two LPGA events in the Bahamas and Florida.
Her bogey-free opening round came after starting on the 10th hole of The Grange’s West course. She had a three-stroke lead over American Casey Grice (66) and Caroline Masson of Germany (66). Five-time champion Karrie Webb led a large group at -5 when she shot an opening 67
P.K. Kongkraphan of Thailand, Jenny Shin and amateur Choi Hye-jin had 67s and were T3.
Ko, who won last year’s title at Royal Melbourne, bogeyed two holes on her first nine after starting on the 10th, but the New Zealander had three birdies on the back nine for her 70.
Bryan Angus
(notes from lpgatour.com)
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