The ongoing Portland Classic is in full force, with LPGA professionals vying for near-season-end wins. Hence, it is not surprising to witness big names taking on the American greens. Astonishingly, though, the leaderboard after two days of hard work isn’t headed by any of these known stars.

Rather, an intriguing Korean golfer has made a strong impression with her brilliant 17 under par. This has allowed many heads to turn toward the rookie golfer. However, it appears that the young athlete is confident in her game as she prepares for her first LPGA Tour victory. In fact, her present performance made the golfer recall her role model, 2014 Evian Championship winner Hyo Joo Kim.

Maintaining the top spot, 20-year-old LPGA Tour professional opens up about her admiration for Hyo Joo Kim

Young golfers, including Hyo Joon Jang, have been a scene of brilliance on the Portland Classic greens. Addressing this, during the press conference, a question came her way highlighting the great start the golfer has had up until now. Reflecting on her incredible feat of four birdies in the first four holes, the young golf star mentioned feeling good due to the nice weather around her.

Further, talking about her brilliant 11 birdies and just one bogey at 10-under, Joo Jang made the big revelation of her motivation. In utter fangirl mode, the 20-year-old expressed, “Hyo Joo Kim is my role model.” Her comment exhibited her determination to compete in full spirits with the senior golfers.

Thanks to her splendid performance, she was able to surpass her role model on the scoreboard. While Hyo Joon Jang currently holds the top spot on the leaderboard, her admired golfer holds the position at T29. The rising star even displayed words of utter gratitude for having such an amazing opportunity.

Though Jang currently holds a good position in the ongoing tournament, the gofer would love to continue her brilliant gameplay. Alongside that, she would be incredibly focused on achieving various laurels, similar to her idol. However, even in the face of such success, she is nothing  but humble!

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An incredible 62 under par draws a humble response from Hyo Joon Jang

The third round of the Portland Classic is about to come to an end. Undoubtedly, among the top action-packed scores was Hyo Joon Jang’s name as well. Not only has she been brilliant during the third round with an astonishing 62 under par, but her first two days also showcased a glimpse of the talent Jang possesses.

She unbelievably achieved 69 and 68 under par on Day 1 and Day 2, respectively. This performance by the golfer was enough to make a statement, as even the interviewers referred to it as a thought-provoking round. Although it seems that the golfer was as startled by her eminent performance as anyone else,

Expressing her emotions, Jang said, “I had no clue,” referring to her historic round. For the young LPGA rookie, it was like any other day—warming up and starting her game. Recalling the Round 3 maneuver, the 20-year-old said that as the ball was getting closer to the pin, she believed it was her chance.

And that is exactly what she took! A shot and conquered it. This helped the young professional execute numerous birdies. Like she said, “It worked,” and now Jang will be looking forward to making an even more impressive statement on Sunday!

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