Lee Tae-hoon (33, DB Insurance)메이저사이트 is back to winning ways after a disappointing runner-up finish last week.
Lee shot a 4-under-par 68 in the first round of the 2023 KPGA Tour’s KB Financial Livechampionship at Blackstone Icheon GC in Icheon, Gyeonggi-do, on Friday to sit tied for first place.
Lee’s eagle on the 18th hole was followed by three birdies on the back nine to share the lead with Lee Jae-kyung.
After the first round, Lee said, “I was satisfied with everything except for a bogey on the fifth hole (par 5),” adding, “I played confidently on my favorite bentgrass grass. Blackstone Icheon GC deserves a lot of credit for not losing any shots on a challenging course. I didn’t expect to make an eagle on the 18th hole (par 5) with a 21.19-yard putt, and I hope to keep this good momentum going into tomorrow.”
On his disappointing runner-up finish last week, he added: “It was disappointing. But I’m feeling good because I got off to a good start today,” he laughed, before adding, “I tried to forget about the disappointment and focus on my play today. I played confidently on bentgrass, which is my favorite surface.”
When asked why he likes bentgrass, Lee said, “It’s very familiar. I practiced and played on bentgrass a lot in the United States. It’s much more comfortable for me to play my shots.”