No pressure as S. Korean quartet surge in Las Vegas
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LAS VEGAS - Kim Si-woo led the Korean charge as he and Presidents Cup teammates Im Sung-jae and Kim Joo-hyung got off to rousing starts at the Shriners Children's Open on Thursday.
Korean rookie Kim Seong-hyeon also joined the party.
Si-woo, who emerged as the leading points earner for the International team with three points at Quail Hollow a fortnight ago, fired a stellar seven-under 64 to lie one back of first-round leader Tom Hoge at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas.
Seeking a fourth PGA Tour victory, the 27-year-old notched eight birdies to offset a lone bogey.
Defending champion Im, who won by four strokes last season after a final-round 62, Joo-hyung and Seong-hyeon made it a glorious day for the Koreans by registering matching 65s to tie for fourth place.
Im had seven birdies, including three closing birdies, against a bogey while Joo-hyung had six birdies to put himself in contention for a second PGA Tour win after his breakthrough triumph at the Wyndham Championship in August.
Having not missed a cut in his first two starts after graduating from the Korn Ferry Tour, Seong-hyeon continued to impress when he responded to an early bogey with seven birdies.
Si-woo was delighted with his start after hitting 11 fairways and 15 greens in regulation. He also did not miss a single putt from inside 10 feet.
Playing alongside Joo-hyung and Max Homa, he said: "We started great and rode on each other's momentum. It was just a couple of weeks ago we were playing together. It was really comfortable."
He compared Thursday's outing to his time with Joo-hyung at the Presidents Cup and said: "There was so much tension and so much pressure on the Presidents Cup week. So now like there's too much calm and less pressure."
Joo-hyung echoed Si-woo's sentiments. He said: "It was fun because obviously I had my partner with me... We had so much fun. When your group kind of plays well, it's just kind of like it helps you play. It gives you momentum when you don't really have some."
PGA TOUR
