‘The Crown Prince of Screens’ Kim Min-soo led the KPGA Korean Tour’s KB Financial Livechampionship for the second straight day.
On the second day of the tournament at Blackstone Icheon GC (Par 72-7270) in Icheon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, Kim carded five birdies and two bogeys for a 3-under-par total of 7-under 137 to share the lead with Lee Jung-hwan, who dropped six strokes on the day.
Kim, who debuted on the Korean Tour in 2012, has yet to win on the regular tour. Instead, he is known as the “Prince of the Screen” because of his 10 victories on the G Tour, a screen golf competition. With a long hit of over 300 yards, Kim has struggled with poor putting. He played in four tournaments this year from the opening round until this one, but missed the cut in all of them.
Having accomplished his primary goal of making his first cut of the season, he is now ready to pursue his secondary goal of winning. “Screen golf is easier because you have data,” he said after the tournament. Variables such as distance and wind strength are expressed in numbers, so you can calculate and play accurately,” he said. “It’s a good condition because you play on a mat (laughs). The courses in field tournaments are difficult to play because there are too many variables, but I find field tournaments to be more fun than screen golf.” 먹튀검증
With his wife, KLPGA professional Ryu Ara, as his caddie, Kim Min-soo said, “I feel like I’m traveling on tour with my wife. We don’t have any special help because we’re from the same sport, but I feel comfortable on the course with her,” he said. “I want to play the remaining two days like today to achieve my goal of a top 10.”
Lee, who has two career victories on Tour, carded seven birdies (one bogey) on the difficult course to post a daily best of 6-under 65. After starting on the 10th hole, Lee birdied the 11th and 12th holes. After a three-putt bogey on the 16th (par-3), he reeled off three straight birdies on 17-1 and added back-to-back birdies on 8 and 9. “My shots were close to the pin and I had a lot of birdie opportunities,” Lee said after the match, adding, “It won’t be easy, but if I focus on my game, I think I can win.”
Last year’s Rookie of the Year, Bae Yong-jun, shot a 5-under-par round thanks to an eagle on the par-5 18th hole. He is tied for third with Seo Hyun Yeom at 5-under 139. Lee Tae-hoon, who was tied for the lead on the first day, shot an even par to finish at 4-under par 140 and is tied for fifth with Kim Min-kyu and Kim Dong-min.
Defending GS Caltex Mae Kyung Open champion Chan Min Chung dropped two strokes to sit in a tie for eighth place with a 3-under par 141 total. Lee Jae-kyung, who entered the second round tied for the lead, dropped two strokes to finish at 2-under par 142 and tied for 13th with Heo In-ho and Ham Jung-woo. Defending champion Ji-ho Yang dropped four strokes and missed the cut at 6-over par 150.