[Women’s Golf] Hong Ties for 4th at LPGA Championship

Seven Korean golfers yesterday finished in the top ten in the first round of the McDonald’s LPGA Championship, the second major of the season.

In Havre de Grace, Maryland, Hong Jin-joo hit five birdies and one bogey to share fourth place at four-under 68. She trailed Lorie Kane of Canada and Emily Bastel of the United States, who jointly led the opening round by two strokes.

Hong has failed to finish in the top ten in 11 tournaments of this season. She will also play in the BC Card Classic next week in Korea’s southernmost resort island of Jeju.

Fellow ethnic Koreans Kang Soo-yun, Kim Young, Han Hee-won, Park In-bee and Oh Ji-young finished at three-under to share ninth place.

Mexican phenom Lorena Ochoa, the winner of the last two majors on the LPGA Tour, overcame an early double-bogey to shoot three-under 69.

Park Se-ri, who seeks her fourth title, and Annika Sorenstam tied for 18th at two under. Kim Mi-hyun finished 59th and Lee Seon-hwa, who won the Ginn Tribute last week, tied for 78th.

kjs0123@donga.com