Korea bends # QueenSirikit muscle

Ye Been Sohn on day one of the Queen Sirikit Cup 201 in Glenelg.

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It is a new Queen Sirikit Cup, but already a familiar name seems fierce.

Korea, 11 times winner in the past 12 editions of this Asia-Pacific women's team championship, is already a fifteen-day leader after a pampered day at Glenelg Golf Club.

Only four people out of 41 who went to the Adelaide track returned sub-par scores and again demonstrated the unmatched depth in Korean women's golf, two of whom were from the Asian superpower.

The format uses the best two scores from the three team members of each country, meaning that Ye-Been Sohn's two-under-71 and Uhjin Seo's 72 were more than adequate to re-sweep Korea to give.

Encouraging for the host country, it is one of the three closest in the chase at two over next to New Zealand and pre-tournament fancy Japan.

Thailand, on the back of the polished 72 by Yosita Khwanuna, is outright fifth by three, while India and China are sixth in four.

But the day, as it has done so often in recent seasons, was among the dominant Korean combination which, in case extra firepower was needed, is coached this week by the former US Women & # 39; s Open Champion Birdie Kim, who also finished top three three individually in the Queen Sirikit Cup in 1999 and 2000.

None of Seo, Sohn or Ye Won Lee has ever represented Korea internationally and despite acknowledged nerves at the debut, Sohn has quickly paid some fear.

The 17-year-old Birdied the first, eagled the second and birdied the third to split the field wide open before the wind strengthened and unreasonable rain threw Glenelg to sharpen scoring around the pristine layout.

And while Sohn's attack slowed to the best of day 71, Seo continued to come all day long and when she closed with a little bird, she was the cherry on a sweet Korean cake.

Seo said through a translator that wearing the history of Korea's success was both a blessing and a curse

"The pressure (to equal previous performance) is absolutely a huge burden," she said.

"But we just want to follow in their footsteps because it is the way to be successful.

"We tyring very hard to be like them, the LPGA players, and the past Queen Sirikit players from Korea to follow."

The second day starts on Thursday morning at 8.30 am (Australian central daylight time), with the tournament decided after the third and final round on Friday.