Kim Hae-rim, aiming for the ‘hero’ in the KLPGA season opening game… Lotte Rent-a-Car Women’s Open 1R 2 strokes sole lead

Kim Hae-rim. Photo = Courtesy of KLPGA

In the first round of the ‘Lotte Rent-a-Car Women’s Open’ (total prize of 700 million won), the opening match of the 2022 season of the Korea Women’s Professional Golf (KLPGA) Tour, Kim Hae-rim took the lead by two strokes, and is poised to cause another ’30s storm’ following last year.

On the 7th, Kim Hae-rim caught 5 birdies without bogey on the first day of the tournament held at Lotte Skyhill Jeju Country Club (par 72) in Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, recording a 5-under-par 67.

Kim Hae-rim was two strokes ahead of Na Hee-won and Ahn Seon-joo, who tied for second with a 3-under-par 69 shot that day, and is able to aim for her eighth victory on the tour for the first time in nine months since the McCall and Mona Park Open in July last year.

Kim Hae-rim is the only player in his 30s to win the KLPGA Tour last year, so he is considered the ’30s leader’ on the KLPGA Tour. Among the players participating in this tournament, Kim Hae-rim and Ahn Seon-ju are in their 30s.

Kim Hae-rim, who trained in Thailand in preparation for this season, said, “The course is getting longer these days, but because of my left shoulder injury, my shoulder only gets worse if I stick to the street. The change seems to have had an effect,” he said following the game.

On the other hand, 6 players including Kim Ji-young 2, Park Chae-won, Lee Ye-won, Jeong Seul-gi, Jo A-yeon, and Ha Min-song were placed in the tie for fourth place, three shots behind the lead, foretelling a fierce lead chase in the second round.