BOSTON, MA – Seiyoung Kim, a prominent figure in women's golf, has put herself in prime position for a long-awaited victory. On Thursday, Kim fired a stellar 7-under 65 in the opening round of the FM Championship at TPC Boston, seizing a share of the lead.
The 12-time LPGA Tour winner, who has been without a trophy since the 2020 Pelican Championship, is tied with American Alison Corpuz and England's Jodi Ewart Shadoff. After a slow start to the season that included three missed cuts, Kim has found her rhythm and has been on a remarkable upswing since June. Her recent performances include a T3 finish at the ShopRite Classic, a T3 at the Scottish Women's Open, and a T10 at the CPKC Women's Open, with four top-10 finishes in her last seven starts. She also posted a strong T13 finish at the AIG Women's Open.
Kim's flawless performance on the first day was a testament to her renewed form. She birdied seven holes without a single bogey, demonstrating exceptional control and precision. She missed the green only twice and needed just 27 putts, highlighting a near-perfect short game.
"I played very solid today," Kim said after her round. "I've been playing pretty well in recent tournaments. The warmer temperatures helped my distance, and I was able to create a lot of birdie opportunities on the par-5 holes."
Indeed, she capitalized on the par-5s, notching three birdies on those holes alone. Kim credits her improved short game to studying some of the best in the men's game.
"I’ve been watching a lot of PGA Tour players like Scottie Scheffler and Tommy Fleetwood," she revealed. "I tried to emulate their short games, and it's really paid off. That's why I was able to make so many birdies on the par-5s."
Kim also shared a candid moment of reflection on her recent mindset shift. Following a missed cut at the Amundi Evian Championship, she felt a change was needed.
"I was overthinking so much after the missed cut. The more I thought, the worse I felt," she explained. "But then I just enjoyed time with my family who were with me in Evian, and I got a lot of positive energy from that. I decided, 'Okay, I'm going to give my best for the rest of the season.' Everything feels good now."
She added with a bright smile, "Making birdies makes me feel comfortable and gives me confidence. I'm excited for the next three days."
Meanwhile, Corpuz, the 2023 U.S. Women's Open champion, and Shadoff, who won the 2022 Mediheal Championship, also had impressive rounds, each posting eight birdies against one bogey.
Miranda Wang of China is in solo fourth place after a 6-under 66.
The crowded leaderboard includes a host of big names tied for fifth at 5-under 67, including American Andrea Lee, Australia's Minjee Lee, World No. 1 Nelly Korda, France's Celine Boutier, and Denmark's Emily Kristine Pedersen.
South Korea's Jin Hee Im and Mi Rim Lee are tied for 13th at 4-under 68. Defending champion Hae Ran Ryu and Mi Hyang Lee are tied for 19th with 3-under 69s.
World No. 1 Jin Young Ko, along with Sung Hyun Park and Yuna Yoon, had a tougher start, finishing at an even-par 72, tied for 73rd.
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