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South Korean teen Kim Hyo-Joo posts world record 61 at Evian golf Championship

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ANI London

South Korea teenager golfer Kim Hyo-Joo posted a nine-under-par round of 61 on day one of the Evian Championship in France to enter the record books.

The 19-year-old hit 10 birdies to record the lowest round in a major. She is four shots ahead of Australia's Karrie Webb, while her compatriot Hur Mi-Jung a shot further back.

US Open champion Michelle Wie retired after 13 holes of her comeback event because of the finger injury which has kept her out for the last month, The BBC reported.

Kim's round eclipsed the 62s recorded by Finland's Minea Blomqvist at the 2004 Women's British Open, and Lorena Ochoa at the 2006 Kraft Nabisco Championship. No male player has ever scored lower than 63 in a major.

 

Starting with a birdie at the first hole, Kim went on to pick up strokes at the third, fourth, sixth and ninth to go out in 30, before coming home in 31 with birdies at 11, 13, 14, 16 and 18.

Kim said that she did not go there with too high expectations, adding that she likes hard courses and just wanted to play well and putted great.

Kim was tied for fourth in this event in 2012, before it became a major. Webb, who won the event, then known as the Evian Masters, in pre-major days in 2006, made eight birdies of her own.

Webb said that the difference today was her putting, adding that she changed putter to one she used about 12 years ago and suddenly started holing a few.

Defending champion Suzann Pettersen of Norway is a little further behind in fourth place on four under, while English veteran Dame Laura Davies is the highest-placed Briton on one under.

Meanwhile, Wie is hoping that the final major of the season would not be her final appearance of 2014. She said that she should have stopped earlier but she was having so much fun out there, and added that she wanted to keep playing, but it got to the point where it was too painful.

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First Published: Sep 12 2014 | 11:50 AM IST

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