WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The Kingsmill Championship isn’t a major, but the strong setup is more than a nice warmup for one.
So, of course, In Gee Chun got herself in the weekend hunt Friday with a 5-under-par 66. She was a single shot off the lead when she signed her scorecard.
When Chun won the Evian Championship late last year, she joined Se Ri Pak as the only players in history to claim majors as their first two LPGA titles.
With the major championship season about to heat up in women’s golf, Chun is looking to get her game ready to claim yet another big prize. The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the U.S. Women’s Open and the Ricoh Women’s British Open will be played over the next 11 weeks.
“I always enjoy the tough course,” Chun said. “Without the challenge, my feeling, it’s too boring.”
Chun won five major championships in a single season (2015) on three different tours around the world. She won the U.S. Women’s Open, two Korean LPGA majors and two Japan LPGA majors that year.
At No. 4 in the Rolex Women’s World Rankings, Chun is formidable figure whether a par’s a good score on a tough track or a bunch of birdies are required to win. She won the U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club when single digits under par (-8) was the low score. She won the Evian Championship with the lowest score in the history of men’s or women’s majors, winning with a 21-under total.
On Friday, the test for Chun was overcoming a sluggish start. She opened her round with a double bogey but bounced back to make eight birdies on the day.
“Walking to the second tee, I said, `Forget it, start again,’” Chun said.
Chun said she wanted to make it a special day because both her manager (Kylie Pratt) and her caddie (Dylan Vallequette) were celebrating birthdays.
