(Evian-les-Bains, France, June 12 2002) Korea’s Mi Hyun Kim made up for her lack of vertical stature after carding a six under par 66 to sit atop the some of the giants of women’s world golf after the first round of the $2.1million Evian Masters alongside the banks of Lake Geneva.
The diminutive 25-year-old from Seoul, who stands only five feet one inch tall, fired six birdies in a flawless round to lead Scotland’s Mhairi McKay and Swede Carin Koch by a shot.
Seven players are tied on four under par after a day of unbroken sunshine at the foothills of the French Alps, including World number one Annika Sorenstam from Sweden, Karine Icher from France, Americans Vicki Goetze-Ackerman, Emilee Klein and Laura Diaz and Korean’s Gloria and Grace Park.
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| Koch – five birdies and an eagle |
Koch began in blistering fashion on the front nine with three birdies, a bogey and an eagle at the par five seventh to turn in 32. The 31-year-old from Kungalv added two more birdies at the tenth and 12th, before slipping up at the 16th to drop into a tie for second.
“I had a good chance in the 18th,” said the Solheim Cup star. “I was in the rough off the tee so I had to lay up and I hit it pin high to about ten feet. I missed, but I really thought I hit a great putt.”
“It’s always great to be at Evian, this is a great, fun course to play. Obviously it was a perfect day with the weather, the greens are rolling good, a bit slower than last week, but it’s just a matter of getting used to them – I didn’t do to well on the speed, but I made some putts, so I can’t complain.”
McKay, whose best finish of the year was second at the Kellogg Keebler Classic in Chicago two weeks ago on the LPGA Tour, fired eight birdies and three bogeys in her 67.
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