Kim Sei-young sets new tournament record at LPGA Shanghai

SHANGHAI - South Korean major champion Kim Sei-young topped the leaderboard after the first round at the 2024 Buick LPGA Shanghai here on Thursday, setting a new single-round tournament record with a remarkable 10-under-par score of 62.

Kim's brilliant round included nine birdies and an eagle, offset by just a single bogey. "I really enjoy playing in China and always feel welcomed here. The environment helps me stay relaxed, which is probably why I often perform well in China," said the 12-time LPGA champion.

Despite experiencing shoulder discomfort during her pre-round warm-up, Chinese golfer He Muni chose to compete and delivered an impressive performance, finishing tied for fourth place with a 6-under 66, the best result of the opening day among the Chinese players.

"It's already my fourth consecutive week of competition, and my body feels the strain. I didn't set high expectations for myself this time, which actually allowed me to approach the game with a more relaxed mindset," said He, adding that she will continue to push through and strive for good results.

Chinese veteran and Paris Olympic bronze medalist Lin Xiyu and defending champion Angel Yin of the United States also had a strong start, carding a 5-under 67 to sit in a tie for eighth place. "Today's round was a solid start. I'm very familiar with this course but still need to adjust better to the fairways," Lin said.

The Buick LPGA Shanghai, held from October 10th to 13th, is the first of four LPGA Tour events that will be contested in Asia over the next few weeks. A total purse of $2.1 million (approximately 14.86 million yuan) and 500 Race to the CME Globe points are up for grabs.