Long hitter Jung Chan-min (CJ) took the lead by reducing 8 strokes on the first day of the Korea Professional Golf (KPGA) Tour GS Caltex Maekyung Open (total prize money of 1.3 billion won).

In the first round of the tournament held at Namseoul Country Club (par 71) in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province on the 4th, Chung Chan-min tied 1 eagle, 7 birdies, and 1 bogey and hit 8 under par 63.

Jeong Chan-min was ranked first, two strokes ahead of second place Moon Gyeong-jun (NH Nonghyup Bank), who recorded 6 under par and 65 strokes. Miguel Carballo from Argentina is third with a 5-under 66.

Jeong Chan-min, a second-year veteran on the tour, is one of the leading long hitters. He has a 188cm, 115kg physique and a shaggy beard, earning him the nickname ‘Korea’s Yon-Rahm’. However, he has not yet won a championship since his tour 안전놀이터debut due to the poor accuracy of his long hit, but he took his first chance at this tournament.

Jeong Chan-min, who started the game happily with a birdie on the first hole, the 10th hole (par 4), paused for a moment with a birdie on the 12th hole (par 4) and a bogey on the 13th hole (par 4). However, he immediately changed the flow by catching a birdie on the 14th hole (par 5).

Jung Chan-min, who succeeded in putting a birdie on the 18th hole (par 4), recorded consecutive birdies on the 2nd to 4th holes and took the lead. And in the last 9th hole (par 5), the 2nd shot hit with the 7 iron blew the hole 1.2m away, and Jung Chan-min lightly scored an eagle.

After the game, Jeong Chan-min said, “The goal is to win,” and expressed his aspirations, “I will play to protect the remaining rounds as much as I have buttoned the cloth well.”

Moon Gyeong-jun, the winner of this tournament in 2015, jumped to second place alone, showing concentration and reducing 4 strokes in the last 5 holes.

Defending champion Kim Bio (Hoban Construction) tied for 4th with a 4 under par 67 strokes, and Park Sang-hyun (Dong-A Pharmaceutical), who ranked first in prize money, finished the first round with a tie for 11th place (3 under par 68 strokes).