Translation result.
Jang Yu-bin, along with Shin Sang-hoon, Lee Tae-hee and Cho Min-kyu, shared the 36-hole lead after the second round of the 45th GS Caltex Maekyung Open on the KPGA Tour, an event with a total purse of 1.3 billion KRW (approximately $975,000).
On day two, May 1, at Namseoul Country Club in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province (par 71), Jang shot a 2-under 69 in the second round to move to 6-under 136 overall, climbing five spots from his first-round position.
Shin produced two birdies and one bogey, while Cho carded a lone birdie with no bogeys; each improved one spot from the previous day. Lee, who began the week alone atop the leaderboard, was unable to lower his score and now shares first place.
Jang was a national team member from 2021–2023 and helped South Korea win the men’s team gold at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, held in 2023. He has three KPGA Tour victories (including one as an amateur) and earned the 2024 Genesis Award. Jang spent last season on LIV Golf before returning to the KPGA Tour this year; his best finish in this event is a tie for fourth in 2024.
After the round, Jang said, “I played in the afternoon group and the wind made things difficult. Still, my feel for my shots came back, which helped me keep the score steady. The wind eased on the back nine, and I was able to post some good numbers.”
He added, “My ball-striking is back to where it was in 2024. My putting isn’t quite at that level yet, but once I find the feel on the greens, I think I can deliver even better results.”
Jang came into this week in form, having tied for second at the KPGA Tour’s Woori Financial Championship, which wrapped up on April 26.
Kim Min-kyu, who joined LIV Golf this season, fired a 4-under 67 to reach 5-under 137 overall. He is part of a tie for fifth that includes Kim Sung-hyun (currently on the PGA Tour), Park Eun-shin, Song Min-hyeok, Park Young-gyu, Kim Baek-joon, Kim Hak-young and New Zealand’s Nick Boke — all moving into contention.
Last year’s champion Moon Do-yeob recorded an eagle, six birdies and three bogeys for a 5-under 66, putting him at 4-under 138 and in a tie for 13th.
Choi Chan, who celebrated his first KPGA Tour win last week at the Woori Financial Championship, slipped one stroke to sit 1-under 141 and dropped 10 spots to a tie for 31st.
The cut fell at 1-over 143, with 68 players (through a tie for 57th) advancing to the third and fourth rounds. Lee Sang-yeop, the winner of the season opener at the DB Insurance Promy Open, missed the cut.
Hak-Yeol Oh, Golf Reporter kungkung5@viva100.com
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