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Best friends shoot 7-under to lead 37th Baek Sang Korea Open

June 19, 2015

Best friends Yoon Se-jun, 24, left, and Jeffrey Kang, 23, lead the 37th Baek Sang Korea Open after the Thursday’s round. The tournament is being held at Los Serranos Country Club in Chino Hills, Calif. (Park Sang-hyuk/Korea Times)

By Brian Han

Over 100 golfers came out to compete on Thursday at the 37th annual Baek Sang Korea Open hosted by the Korea Times.

The tournament, dubbed a “Masters of Korean community,” is being held at Los Serranos Country Club in Chino Hills, Calif. right at the onset of a heat wave.

Yoon Se-jun, 24, and Jeffrey Kang, 23, took the first round lead of the two-day stroke play event after shooting an impressive 7-under 65 on the North Course.

Kang racked up eight birdies and a lone bogey while Yoon had seven birdies and an eagle with two bogeys.

As it turns out the two players are best friends and will be playing in the same group in Friday’s round on the South Course. Although they are both quite competitive, it’s all smiles as they make a run for the trophy.

Defending champion Storm Lee shot a solid 2-under 70, but it looks like he might have to break some course records to reclaim that title.

Steve Lim will also be playing in the final group Friday as he stands alone in third place after shooting a 5-under 67. Cho Rak-hyun will join the group as well after shooting a 4-under 68.

In the senior flight for those golfers who are 50 years old and above, defending champion Kang Tae-sik took a commanding five-stroke lead after posting a 4-under 68 in the first round.

He’s no stranger to competition though as he played for South Korea’s national soccer team back in 1988.