Kim Hyo-joo takes early lead on sunny start to Korea's Aramco Team Series

Golf

Published: 10 May. 2024, 19:41

Kim Hyo-joo takes early lead on sunny start to Korea's Aramco Team Series

Kim Hyo-joo hits a shot during the Aramco Team Series presented by Public Investment Fund at the New Korea Country Club in Goyang, Gyeonggi on Friday. [ARAMCO TEAM SERIES]

GOYANG, Gyeonggi — Kim Hyo-joo took the lead on the first day of the Aramco Team Series presented by Public Investment Fund on a sunny spring day at the New Korea Country Club in Goyang, Gyeonggi on Friday, topping the table in the individual event while Team Gustavsson claimed the No. 1 position in the team event.

Kim carded a four-under-par, 68, while Team Gustavsson — consisting of Johanna Gustavsson, Laura Beveridge, Gemma Clews and Shin Jae-ho — managed a 13-under-par 59.

The team event follows the “two-from-four” format, where the two best scores on each hole are combined and used as the team’s score. The team with the fewest strokes wins the team event.

A total of 144 golfers — 108 pros and 36 amateurs — from around the world gathered in Gyeonggi for the event, with the pro's scores counting for both the team and individual competitions. The 36 teams of four — each consisting of three pros and one amateur — competed alongside and against each other.

The three-day Aramco Series consists of two events: A two-day 36-hole stroke play team event in which each team competes for the team title and a three-day 54-hole stroke play individual event in which only pro golfers participate.

The two events are one and the same for the first two days, with the 108 pro golfers playing alongside 36 amateur golfers in the team event, and the pro golfers' individual scores simultaneously being counted for the individual pro event.

As it was still part of the working week, it was a small gallery that gathered at the New Korea Country Club for the first Ladies European Tour ever to take place on Korean soil. The fans that did turn out also got a chance to peek behind the curtain and the exclusive country club, which has been a highly sought-after members-only course for all of its 38 years.

“I’ve played golf for 45 years, and I found out about this tournament through many sources,” said Han Yang-hee, who often watches golf events in person, “I didn’t come here to see any golfer in particular, but my wife said she would see Kim Hyo-joo.

“I have played golf on this course in the past. This is the best course, and it is my favorite in Korea.”

Although the crowds were small — at least on Friday, if the weather continues through the weekend, far larger crowds are expended to descend on the tournament — a committed group of Kim fans could be seen in the gallery, easily distinguished by their red "H. J. Kim" caps.

Kim, No. 12 on the official Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, competes on the LPGA Tour where she has secured six titles.

Spectators wearing red caps saying “H. J. Kim,” watch the Aramco Team Series presented by Public Investment Fund at the New Korea Country Club in Goyang, Gyeonggi on Friday. [ARAMCO TEAM SERIES]

Spectators could also visit a fan zone by the first hole, where they could play virtual reality golf and "Mario Golf: Super Rush" on the Nintendo Switch.

The team event will end on Saturday, with the individual event continuing through Sunday. Sunday’s pro field will be cut to 60 and ties based on individual scores up to Saturday.

The winners of both events will be the first to claim an Aramco Series title in Korea.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]