Red-hot rookie Bang Shin-sil (19, KB Financial Group) is once again aiming for the win.
The 19-year-old shot a 4-under-par 68 in the first round of the 2023 KLPGA Tour’s 11th E1 Charity Open at Seongmunan CC in Wonju, Gangwon Province, on Saturday to move into a share of the lead with Kim Min-seon 7 and Ji Han-sol.
It was a flawless first round for Bang Shinsil. With just one bogey on the 10th hole and five birdies, Bang proved once again why she is one of the most exciting rookies of the season.
If there’s one thing Bangsinsil is known for, it’s his long game. In fact, Bang showed off a 269-yard driver in the first round. Considering the overall average was 247 yards (226 meters), that’s an extra 20 meters of distance.
On the par-4 1st hole, he wowed the gallery with a 293.3-yard (268-meter) driver, the longest of the day.
However, the condition of Bang’s body is not good. “I thought I was going to have a hard time today because I had a cold, but I felt good with my shots and putts, so I was able to finish with a good score,” he said after the first round.
The difficulty of the course was proving to be just as challenging for Bangsinsil as it was for the other players. “I played this course for the first time this week and I felt it was important to stay in the fairways because the fairways are narrow and the rough is long. The greens are also hard and unforgiving,” he said.안전놀이터
Bang didn’t just hit long shots. On the 16th hole (par 5), he took out a wood.
“I did it strategically. If you tee off with a driver, the drop-off is very narrow. On this course, I thought it was more important to stay in the fairway than to be aggressive, so I teed off with a 3-wood and left 220 meters.”
Bang has been one of the favorites among the rookies this season due to her long game. However, after finishing 40th in last year’s seeding, he has been granted a conditional stay on the tour this season.
The pressure is on, but Bang is undaunted. “I’m just trying to play my best now. I’m confident that I can win if I go to the Dream Tour again or the seeding match, but I’m doing my best to avoid it as much as possible.” Regarding the intense media spotlight, he said, “It’s actually a burden because I’m getting so much attention when I don’t have enough. But I’m grateful. I will work harder,” he said solemnly.