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South Korea's Hong Taek Kim took the opening day lead on the Korean Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Tour.

Kim Hong-taek carded a 7-under 64 with seven birdies, one eagle and two bogeys in the first round of the DB Insurance Promi Open 2024 at the par-71, 7271-yard Laviebel CC Old Course in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, on Wednesday.

Kim started with a birdie on the 11th (par-4) and followed it up with back-to-back birdies on the 14th (par-4) and 15th (par-5). After birdieing the 18th (par-4) to cut his deficit to four strokes, Kim dropped back to bogey the second (par-5) after a birdie on the first (par-4), but bounced back with a birdie on the third (par-4). On No. 5 (par-5), he hit his tee shot 300 yards (274 meters) and his second shot 229 yards (209 meters) into the side of the cup for eagle in three strokes. After a bogey on the seventh (par-3), Kim finished with a birdie on the ninth (par-4) to cut his deficit to seven strokes for the day.

"I'm happy to do better than I expected in the opening round," said Kim afterward, "I was worried about the fast greens, but the rain helped soften them up. My shots went where I wanted them to, and I was able to finish with a good score." On her birdie and eagle on the par-5s, she said, "My approach was good. The green is fast, so it's good that I played with the idea of putting it where it's easy to putt," he said. "On the eagle on the fifth, I hit a 3-iron from about 240 meters and thought that even if I hit it straight, it would be about 10 meters shorter than the pin. I didn't hit it, but when I got up to the green, it was about 1.2 meters away. It was a lucky eagle," he smiled.

Kim Hong-taek, who has 12 career wins on the G Tour, a screen competition, said, "(Screen golf and field golf) have some differences and some similarities. However, I mainly practice using the same points," said Kim, who has 12 career birdies on the G Tour, "and I will try not to miss birdie opportunities in the remaining rounds."

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