Kim Seong-hyun Takes Surprise Lead in Round 2 of KPGA Hana Bank Invitational, Holds 2-Stroke Advantage

Kim Seong-hyun has surged to a "surprise lead" in the second round of the KPGA Tour Hana Bank Invitational, fueling hopes for his second career victory in six years.

Playing at the Victory Challenge Course of Namchuncheon Country Club in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, Kim carded a 6-under-par 65, featuring seven birdies and one bogey.

After starting the first round in a tie for 17th place with a 1-under-par 70, Kim jumped to sole possession of first place with a two-round total of 7-under-par 135.

Kim's first and only victory to date came at the KPGA Championship, a major-level tournament held in August 2020.

At the time, Kim was competing on the second-tier tour and achieved a dramatic career turnaround by winning the tournament after qualifying through a Monday qualifier.

However, Kim has not secured a win since then, with his best performance in six tournaments this season being two tied-for-6th finishes.

On this day, Kim reduced his score by three strokes on the front nine alone and continued his momentum with consecutive birdies on the 10th and 11th holes. Although he recorded his first bogey on the 15th hole (par 4) after missing a 1.5-meter par putt, he finished strong with back-to-back birdies on the 17th and 18th holes to climb to the top of the leaderboard.

"Because the fairways are narrow, I focused on keeping my tee shots in the fairway as much as possible and made careful decisions regarding layups," Kim said. "Approaching the greens wasn't easy either, but I tried not to force anything and aimed to land the ball in safer areas."

He added, "There will be many variables over the weekend with strong winds and rain in the forecast. It will be important to remain patient and keep my composure."

Takashi Ogiso (Japan), the winner of this tournament in 2024, recorded a 4-under-par 67 on this day. With a two-round total of 5-under-par 137, he sits in second place, trailing leader Kim by two strokes.

Kang Yoon-seok, who was tied for the lead the previous day, finished with an even-par 72, bringing his total to 4-under-par 138. He is now tied for third place alongside Taika Semikawa (Japan), Chen Guxin (China), and Eom Jae-woong.

Wang Jeung-hun, who was also tied for the lead yesterday, struggled with a 1-over-par 72, bringing his total to 3-under-par 139. He is tied for 7th place alongside players such as Jang Yu-bin, who returned from LIV Golf this season and won the previous KPGA Classic.

Meanwhile, Moon Dong-hyun, the current leader in Genesis points, struggled by dropping four strokes—recording two double bogeys, two bogeys, and only two birdies. He finished with a two-round total of 1-over-par 143, barely making the cut in a tie for 48th place.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.