Kim Hyo-joo leads third-round lead in JTBC Founders Cup

Korean players are not included in the list of candidates’ names for the LPGA’s on-line survey to ask the potential winner of the 2015 JTBC Founders Cup. The survey’s candidate list has Stacy Lewis (the U.S.), Karrie Webb (Australia), Ariya Jutanugarn (Thailand), Yani Tseng (Taiwan) and Korean American golfer Michelle Wie (the U.S.).

Considering that Korean golfers have won four out of five games since beginning of this season, it can be said as inhospitable treatment toward Korean golfers. If including Lydia Ko, a Korean-born New Zealander, players from Korea (or born in Korea) have won all five games so far this season. Probably, this is why the majority (44 percent) of the 327 respondents clicked "others" in the survey currently as of Saturday. Now, the prediction of netizens who chose "others" is more likely to hit the bull’s eye. Rookie Kim Hyo-joo (aged 20, Lotte) and other Korean golfers are having the lead in the game, raising the possibility for a Korean golfer to win the sixth consecutive game.

In the third round of Wildfire Golf Club (par 72) at JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday, Kim finished off a 6-under 66, having 7 birdies and 1 bogey, at 16-under 200 to take a two-stroke lead over Lewis (14-under 202). Kim, who accepted membership on the LPGA Tour this year, previously ranked in the 23rd in the Honda Thailand and the 8th in the HSBC Women’s Champions, Singapore. After increasing the pace in those international games, Kim is grabbing an opportunity to win the Founders’ Cup, which is her first competition in the mainland of the U.S.

“Been really good with the driver, totally all the clubs. If I miss, I save, so I`m playing good. All the putts feel good,” said Kim. Kim’s average driving distance was 266.5 yards with the fairway arrival rate of 85.7 percent. Green hit rate was 88.9 percent for two days in a row and the number of putts were 29. A flaw in a jewel was the bogey with three putts in the 13th hole (par 4). But Kim made two straight birdies in the 14th and 15th holes and even a 7.5 meter-long-distance birdie put in the 16th hole (par 4), strengthening her lead in the game.

Korean-American rookie Alison Lee was third at 13 under, matching the course record with 9-under 63. Lydia Ko, Jang Ha-na and Lee Mi-hyang were 12 under, finishing the day in a tie for fifth. Yang Hee-young, the winner of Honda Thailand, was 11 under to sit tied for 8th.

Stacy Lewis, 30, who lost several victories to Korean golfers this season, said, “A lot of the young Koreans were coming out, so it`s not surprising. I mean, they are fearless. They don`t have the experience, so that`s hopefully to my advantage.” But Korean players are second to none when it comes to experience, including Kim Hyo-joo who has won many games even at young age. “I`ve won before and I`ve been playing four or five times a year on the LPGA," said Kim, who will compete for the winning with Lewis in the same group. Actually, this 20-year-old rookie held off the seasoned veteran player Karrie Webb, 41, to win the Evian Championship last year. The fearless young Korean golfers’ last round will start on Monday at 5:40 a.m. (Korean time).