Korean Sisters In the Lead

A pink beret with a striped T-shirt.

Kim Cho-rong, (American name: Christina Kim) who usually stands out in numerous rounds of tournaments with her exceptional outfits, also caught one`s eye in the 1st round of LPGA Chick-fil-A Charity Championship with prize money of $1.6 million.

On this day, the 20-year-old’s outstanding iron shots surpassed her attire. Only one of Kim`s approach shots missed the green on the 18th hole, and eight out of nine of her birdie shots were positioned within the 4.5 perimeter of the pin. Kim who has a great rapport with the crowd because of her bright expressions, commented after the match, "Today`s round was so terrific."

On the very first day of the competition, held at the Eagles Landing CC in Stockbridge, Georgia, Kim sank nine birdies and two bogies, which totaled up to 7 under par, 65, and the lead. In the 2001 US Junior championships sponsored by the USGA, Kim notched a match record of 62 in 18 holes to receive the spotlight as a top prospect. Kim jumped into the LPGA tour last year but ended up in the Top 10 only once. She is aiming for a chance to win the current match with her irons. Currently, five players on the top 10 list are Korean, as the "Korean pack" again showed off their strength.

Nabisco Champion Park Ji-eun (Nike Golf) trailed Kim Cho-rong by a stroke as she stands in 2nd place (6 under par, 66), and the defending champion Pak Se-ri (CJ) kicked off an easy start with a 4 under par, 68, putting her in tied for 6th place. Jang Jung and Song A-ree (Bean Pole Golf) are tied in 9th place with 3 under par, 69.

"Golf Queen,” Anneka Sorenstam, who has recently captured three titles in four appearances, struggled with a 1 under par, 71, placing her tied for 25th. As she came back from three weeks off, she expressed a sense of pressure from the expectations surrounding her as she said "I can`t sweep all the competitions."

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com