Kim Yeon-seop takes sole lead in KPGA Choi Kyung-ju Invitational 3R... green light for competition to win

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Young-ho = Kim Yeon-seop rose to the sole lead on the third day of the Korea Professional Golf (KPGA) Tour Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Choi Kyung-ju Invitational (total prize money of 1.25 billion won).

In the third round of the tournament held at the Ferrum Club (par 72) in Yeoju-si, Gyeonggi-do on the 3rd, Kim Yeon-seop won 5 birdies and no bogeys, hitting 5 under par 67.

Kim Yeon-seop, who recorded an intermediate total of 8 under par 208 strokes, beat Kim Hong-taek (intermediate total 7 under par, 209 strokes) by one stroke and took first place.

Wang Jeong-hoon (intermediate total, 6 under par, 210 strokes) ranked 3rd, 2 strokes behind the leader, predicting a fierce competition for the championship on the last day.

On the other hand, Bae Sang-moon and Song Min-hyuk, who had tied for the lead the day before, lost 3 strokes in the third round and fell to tied 4th place.

Kim Yeon-seop, who started as a tour professional in 2010 and has not won on the regular tour and whose best ever result was 2nd place in the 2024 KB Financial Live Championship, succeeded in making a 'no-bogey play' with stable play with a 94.44% green hit rate and a 50% fairway landing rate on this day.

Kim Yeon-seop, who dropped the first birdie in the 3rd hole (par 3), grabbed the second birdie in the 7th hole (par 4) and reduced 2 strokes in the first half.

Kim Yeon-seop rose to the lead with a birdie on the 11th hole (par 4), followed by birdies on the 16th hole (par 3) and the 18th hole (par 5).

Kim Yeon-seop said, "The course was very difficult, so I attacked in the safest direction possible. I decided on the tee shot direction considering the pin location, and when I was in the fairway, I attacked the pin a little more aggressively. I played safely and managed the game by taking advantage of birdie opportunities when they came up."

On the other hand, Bae Sang-moon and Song Min-hyuk, who were joint leaders the previous day, lost their lead positions with only one birdie and four bogeys.