Seo Eo-jin shot a four-under-par 68 on Friday to take a share of the first-round lead at the Daebo House D Championship, the KLPGA Tour event hosted by her main sponsor. The opening round was played at the Seowon Hills course at Seowon Valley Country Club in Paju, Gyeonggi Province — a par-72 layout measuring 6,649 yards, according to 골프한국.
Seo's round of five birdies and one bogey left her tied at the top with Hong Jin-young 2 and amateur Moon A-rin, who is 17.
Why it matters
For Seo, 25, the position carries weight beyond a single good day. She has played 150 events on the KLPGA's regular tour without a win, and her best results remain two runner-up finishes: a share of second at the 2024 The Heaven Masters and another joint-second at the OK Savings Bank Euman Open.
The tournament also revives a memory she would rather replace. At last year's edition of this event, Seo held a share of the lead with Hwang Yu-min through two rounds. She managed only a one-under final round and finished tied for fourth at 10 under, one stroke short of joining the playoff.
A steady season built on contending
Seo's form this year suggests the near-misses have not shaken her. According to 골프한국, she has teed it up in 25 events and made the cut in 24 of them, recording six top-10 finishes. Two of those were shares of fourth, at the High1 Resort Women's Open and the 13th Jeju Samdasoo Masters.
The Jeju Samdasoo week followed a familiar pattern. Seo opened with a share of the lead, stayed in contention through the second and third rounds, then closed with a one-under 71 as her challenge faded. She currently sits 27th on the season money list and 24th in the player-of-the-year points standings.
Friday's round gives her another chance to convert a fast start, this time on a course where she has already shown she can lead. Whether she can hold the position through the weekend is the question that has followed her all season.
The second round is scheduled for Saturday at Seowon Valley.
