SCORESHEET
DAY 1
October 21st 2011, Yeoju, Gyeonggi-do, Korea: American Anthony Kim may soon need a haircut after a battling six-under-par 66 gave him a three-shot halfway lead at the inaugural CJ Invitational hosted by K.J. Choi on Friday.
The 26-year-old Kim, a three-time winner in the United States, did not produce his best golf at the Haesley Nine Bridges Golf Club but ground out seven birdies in the US$750,000 event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Korean Golf Tour to lead on 10-under-par 134.
Tournament host Choi of Korea endured an error-strewn 70 for tied second place with countrymen Lee Ki-sang and David Oh, who shot 67 and 69 respectively for a 137 total.
Thailand’s Prom Meesawat, searching for a second Asian Tour victory, returned a second straight 69 for a share of fifth place with Korea’s Hwang Jae-min (70) and Young Nam (69)
Kim, rated as one of America’s top talents when he won twice on the PGA Tour in 2008, scrambled superbly in a round sprinkled with several wayward shots. His day was exemplified by an unlikely birdie on the par five seventh hole, his third to last of the day.
After pushing a drive into the trees and bushes, the American was lucky to find his ball which he hacked back out onto the fairway. From 190 yards out, Kim rifled a superb six iron for an easy tap-in birdie. He then closed his round with a superb 15-foot birdie conversion.
“I had a few good breaks go my way today but hopefully I won’t need them this weekend,” said the former Ryder Cup star. “I made a couple of key putts and had a good attitude even though I was in the trees a lot. Mentally I’m fresh and physically I’m getting better.”
A surgery on his left thumb last season slowed down his progress and led to only two top-10s and a string of missed cuts in the recent 2011 PGA Tour season. Kim subsequently decided to keep his hair long until he started playing decent golf again.
“I’ve been playing so bad the last year and a half that I’ve been trying to hide but it’s (hair) not growing fast enough. I’m going to keep it going until I play a bit better,” smiled Kim.
Choi, an Asian Tour honorary member and eight-time winner on the PGA Tour, charged up the leaderboard with four birdies in his opening six holes before finding trouble with the sand traps. He dropped four bogeys in his closing 11 holes. “I had a good start but on the back nine, I lost my balance. I was hungry and couldn’t really score,” said the 41-year-old local hero.
“Yesterday, I had dinner with Anthony and told him it would be good if we could both be in the final group in the weekend. But because I didn’t play well, I will be in the second to last group. Anthony has a lot of spirit and a good touch and he showed that today. Looks like I have to make up some shots to catch up.”
A return to Korea always brings back fond memories for Prom as another 69 put him four shots behind the leader. The burly Thai claimed his lone Asian Tour victory at the 2006 SK Telecom Open in Seoul but he is not thinking too far ahead of himself just yet.
“I’m just trying to play my game. If I can keep my score like the last two days, it’ll be good. I’m not thinking about the leaders. I’m just thinking about shooting under par and wherever I finish will be good,” said Prom.
Like the first round, he started his day with a bogey but fought back with birdies on 12, 13 and 18. He had numerous looks at birdies on his inward nine before finally nailing one more on his closing hole.
“I am hitting it very good. I’m reading the greens good but the greens are so fast. When you have a 15 footer, sometimes it’s very fast and you have to be careful not to past the hole and make a three putt,” said Prom.
The halfway cut was set at 147 with 71 players progressing into the weekend rounds.
