Lee, Kang lead Korean charge

LIPA City, Batangas — Yunseo Lee and Jisun Kang shrugged off blustery afternoon winds and slick greens to post flawless opening rounds, leading a strong Korean charge at the ICTSI Philippine Ladies Masters 2026 at Summit Point Golf and Country Club on Wednesday.

Both teed off early on opposite nines, but it was Lee who stole the spotlight. Battling stiffer gusts on the back nine after starting at No. 10, the 18-year-old sophomore pro fired a brilliant six-under-par 66 to seize the solo lead in the $200,000 event, kicking off the Taiwan LPGA Tour.

Lee made just one birdie on the back nine, but caught fire on the front nine with five birdies, including a four-birdie stretch from No. 3, capped by a strong finish on the par-5 ninth.

“There was no wind early on, but it picked up and got quite strong in the afternoon,” Lee said. “I feel very good playing here. Summit Point is really a great course.”

Lee aims to keep the title in Korean hands following compatriot Kim Kayoung’s win at The Country Club last year.

Kang, starting on No. 1 in the first group, posted a solid 67. She birdied Nos. 3, 6, and 9 to turn in three-under, then remained composed as conditions worsened, adding birdies on Nos. 11 and 14.

Late-round winds didn’t faze another Korean, Jeonghyeon Kang, and Thailand’s Navaporn Soontreeyapas, who both shot five-under 67s to share second place with Kang. The 54-hole championship is co-sanctioned by the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, Taiwan LPGA, Korean LPGA, and the Asia Golf Leaders Forum, with a top prize of $30,000.

Jeonghyeon Kang built momentum with three birdies and one bogey on the front nine and added three more birdies on the back. Playing Summit Point for the first time, she relied on precise iron shots and controlled ball flights to counter the wind.

“My iron shots were solid this morning, and I made a lot of birdies,” she said. “It’s a bit windy, so I kept my shots lower. The greens are great, so I just focused on my game. I’ll do the same over the next two rounds — no special tricks, just steady play.”

Korean Sohye Park and Taiwan’s No. 2 player Min Lee posted 68 and 69, respectively, to move into early contention. Their playing partner, Princess Superal, struggled with consecutive bogeys, finishing 74 for a tie at 43rd with several others. Other 69 scorers included Ting-Hsuan Huang and Sejin Joung.

Among the locals, Florence Bisera, Mafy Singson, and Daniella Uy were the top Filipino performers, though none broke 70. Bisera and Singson each carded 71 to share 14th place, recovering with birdies on the back nine.

“It was tough with strong winds and fatigue from traveling from Indonesia, but I managed to recover on the back nine,” said Bisera, who tied for sixth in last week’s Indonesia Open. “My experience overseas really boosted my confidence.”

Uy also finished with 71 after a quiet front nine, while Chanelle Avaricio shot even par 72 for joint 19th. Kayla Nocum started strong with a three-under front nine, but the winds caught up with her, resulting in a 75 for joint 60th alongside Pauline del Rosario.

Del Rosario, an Epson Tour regular, opened with a birdie on No. 3 but hit a triple bogey on No. 7 and struggled the rest of the round. Dottie Ardina, preparing for next month’s Epson Tour, also struggled in the afternoon, finishing 76 after starting level par at the turn.

With only the top 60 and ties advancing, Thursday’s second round promises another stern test — especially if the winds continue — but the leaders have already shown they have the grit to handle it.