Gee Chun may have a place in Dallas, Texas, but there is nothing like coming home for the 27-year-old. Chun was able to meet family and friends and enjoy her mother’s home cooking when she returned to Korea last September to compete in the KB Financial Group STAR Championship. Now she is back in Busan for the BMW Ladies Championship and this week she feels as motivated as ever in her country.
“All of my friends here, so it was good to see my friends before I came here. I spent a lot of time with my friends after a workout and had good food and from my mom. I enjoyed it – I was really happy to stay home, but now I also have a home in the US, ”said Chun.
The two-time major champion, who finished the BMW Ladies Championship 2019 with a T4 result, is now one stroke behind the leader and compatriot Na Rin An in second place with -7. Chun said she was proud of her seven birdies, especially the birdies on her first hole that set the tone for the rest of the day.
“My tee shot fell on the right tip of the left bunker. So from my position I thought my ball had fallen into the bunker. And I looked at the pin location and it wasn’t right behind the bunker. I thought I could play a nice bunker shot and had a chance, but as I approached the bunker I saw that the ball wasn’t there and it was in a really bad downhill position. But I looked at the ball and thought I could take a really good shot and still line up with a birdie chance, ”said Chun. “And when my caddy gave me the distance, it was a distance I was really comfortable with, so I knew I could swing the shot like before and still make it. I think a punch like this sets the tone, especially for the next hole. And then if you keep the momentum it will set the tone for the lap itself.
Chuns 65 is her lowest first-round score since a 64 at the Volunteers of America Classic, where she finished 14th with a tie. Chun has already had five top 10 finishes this season and said she plans to take one shot at a time for the rest of the week to add another to this year’s resume. “I believe that in golf every hole and every stroke is really important, and it is the 18 holes and every stroke that contribute to a good result that can lead to a victory. So that’s the mindset I need to get in with and I hope that the hard work I’ve done so far will bear fruit and that I really want to win, ”said Chun. “And I noticed that with this longing comes the pressure. I think I have to try to really control my emotions and do some mind control on the track tomorrow. “