Story by Spencer Robinson, Asian Tour contributor, at Royal Troon.
On a day when conditions were described by many players as ‘brutal’, Wang and Kim held firm at Royal Troon Golf Club.
Playing in the final flight which teed-off at 4.27 pm, Wang took advantage of the slightly more mild early evening weather to post a one-over-par 72.
With barely a handful of spectators still at the course, the 28-year-old completed his round with a flourish, holing an 11-footer for birdie on the 18th green for a back nine of one-under 34.
Heading into Friday’s second round, Wang is joint 31st, one stroke ahead of Kim.
The winner of this year’s Kolon Korea Open was one of the fastest starters of the day, birdies at the first two holes seeing his name appear on page one of the television leaderboards.
Back-to-back bogeys at five and six slowed his progress but he returned to red figures when he snared an 11-footer at the seventh.
It proved to be his final birdie of the day but with eight pars and three bogeys to follow he remains ahead of Korean PGA Tour players Sungjae Im, Tom Kim and Siwoo Kim (all 76).
TROON, SCOTLAND – JULY 18: Jeunghun Wang of South Korea tees off on the first hole on day one of The 152nd Open championship at Royal Troon on July 18, 2024 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by Tom Shaw/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
Along with Wang and Kim, other Asian Tour members who are well placed to qualify for the weekend here are Chilean Joaquin Niemann who is tied 18th after an even-par 71 and New Zealander Michael Hendry, who was hailed for his gutsy 74.
Also in contention to make the cut is American Andy Ogletree, last year’s Asian Tour Order of Merit winner who found himself at even-par through 11 holes but dropped four shots over the next six holes to sign for a 75.
Alongside Ogletree in equal 82nd place at the end of day one were Japan’s Ryosuke Kinoshita, Swede Charlie Lindh and England’s Sam Horsfield.
Current Order of Merit leader John Catlin carded a 76 and is tied 96th, while Thai Denwit Boriboonsub and South African Louis Oosthuizen, the 2015 Open champion, are languishing in 129th place after 78s.
Completing the 13-strong Asian Tour contingent are Spaniard David Puig (80) and Korean Guntaek Koh (81).
Ends.