Park soars into lead with 10-under par opening round

REUTERS – Park Sung-Hyun made the most of serene conditions at the Sky 72’s Ocean Course by carding an opening round 10-under-par 62 to surge into a four-stroke lead at the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship in her native South Korea on Thursday.

The 22-year-old Park matched the record low round in the history of the tournament to move clear of Gerina Piller and Charley Hull, who are tied for the second spot on six-under.

Park, who boasts the Korea Women’s Open among her three victories this season, was grouped with big-hitting major winners Lexi Thompson and Michelle Wie but easily outshone her playing partners in Incheon.

“I was playing with very long hitters today, Michelle and Lexi, and they are taller and bigger than I am and they are much more powerful than I am,” she told reporters after her bogey-free round.

“But I noticed that maybe my swing speed is a bit faster than them and that might contribute to me being able to hit the ball as far as I do.”

World number one Park In-bee and second-ranked Lydia Ko both shot 69s to lie tied for the 16th spot.

(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by John O’Brien)