MELBOURNE: With ample South Korean talent marching down the Australian Open fairways, there was no surprise that one of the nation’s golfers would lead the women’s event at the halfway mark on Friday.
The wonder, however, was that it was Yang Hyo-jin, a 17-year-old amateur, on top after negotiating the sandbelt courses of Melbourne like a seasoned professional.
Overnight co-leader after an impressive 65 at Victoria Golf Club on Thursday, Yang proved it was no fluke as she backed that up with a two-under 71 at Kingston Heath.
At nine-under for the tournament, she holds a one-stroke lead over compatriot and former world number one Shin Ji-yai, and home hope Justice Bosio.
Yang’s performance is all the more startling given she had never played the course, with a storm scrapping a practice round on Wednesday.
She and her caddie Woo Se-hee were left to pore over the yardage book but both gained confidence as Yang stormed out of the blocks with four birdies in her first five holes after starting from the 10th.
“We could see the pin positions, so we just imagined how we would go,” Yang told Reuters. “It was a little bit hard after six holes.”
She dropped three strokes across consecutive holes on the way back to the clubhouse to surrender the outright lead as the wind grew late in the day – but took it back with a birdie on her last hole.
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A match-up with Shin, South Korea’s most prolific winner with 64 titles across various tours, looms at the weekend and Yang would be delighted to play alongside the twice Women’s British Open winner.
“I am very happy. It’s like a dream to play with her,” said Yang.
“She’s a legend.”
A schoolgirl from South Korea’s Jeju island, Yang barely has a profile in her home nation let alone in world golf. She may have one now after upstaging Shin and a host of major winners, including Australians Minjee Lee and Hannah Green.
Shin, who shot a five-under 68 at Kingston Heath to shoot up the leaderboard, will be hard to beat.
She said Yang had come to greet her each morning in Melbourne.
“I play pretty much closer than 20 years on the tour, so always I’m happy to see the new generation coming up,” said Shin. “I think it’s going to be good challenge for me, too, but I have more experience.”