In professional golf, the difference between a leaderboard collapse and a championship run often comes down to a few minutes of honest self-assessment on the fairway. For South Korea’s Hongtaek Kim, those few minutes during the second round of the Asian Tour stop in Japan proved decisive.
Kim currently holds a narrow one-shot lead at the International Series Japan, sitting at 11-under-par after 36 holes at the Caledonian Golf Club. Even as the score suggests a dominant performance, the path to the halfway lead was far from seamless, requiring a mid-round mental and technical reset to preserve his title hopes alive.
After opening the tournament with a blistering seven-under-par 64, Kim faced a starkly different start to his second day. Early struggles with his ball-striking threatened to erase his first-round advantage, culminating in a bogey on the third hole that saw him slide back into the chasing pack.
However, Kim leaned on the experience that earned him the GS Caltex Maekyung Open title two years ago. Rather than fighting the frustration, he paused to diagnose the flaw in his swing. “I wasn’t hitting my shots very well early in the round, but I was able to figure out what I was doing wrong and make adjustments,” Kim said. “After that, I was able to settle in and play much better.”
The adjustment worked. Kim carded five birdies following his early stumble, finishing the day with a 67. The resilience shown in the second round puts him in a prime position to claim his first ever International Series trophy and his second career Asian Tour win.
The Chasing Pack: Local Heroics and Bogey-Free Precision
While Kim holds the pole position, he is pursued by two players with very different paths to the top. Japan’s Shugo Imahira and India’s Karandeep Kochhar both carded 65s to move within one shot of the lead.
Imahira, a veteran with 10 titles on the Japan Golf Tour and a two-time money list winner (2018, 2019), played with the aggression typical of a seasoned champion. He highlighted his round with two eagles on the par-fives—the sixth and the 18th—demonstrating a clinical ability to capitalize on the course’s scoring opportunities.
“This course gives us a lot of birdie chances, so I tried to grab advantage when I could,” Imahira said, noting that playing on home soil provides a psychological edge as he seeks more international success. “I suppose I am in a good position… I expect to be in contention after the third round.”
In contrast, Karandeep Kochhar has relied on absolute stability. The Indian golfer has remained bogey-free for both days of the tournament, a streak that mirrors his strong season start, which currently sees him ranked sixth on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Kochhar attributed his consistency to a hot putter and disciplined iron play. “To stay bogey free I think everything has to be pretty much good,” Kochhar said. “I think though it’s my iron play majorly. And the putter… That kind of dictates how I play.”
Leaderboard Snapshot: Top Contenders
| Player | Country | Total Score | R2 Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hongtaek Kim | South Korea | -11 | 67 |
| Shugo Imahira | Japan | -10 | 65 |
| Karandeep Kochhar | India | -10 | 65 |
| Yubin Jang | South Korea | -9 | 63 |
| Tatsunori Shogenji | Japan | -9 | 67 |
LIV Experience and Veteran Grit
The tournament has also served as a redemption arc for Yubin Jang. The South Korean fired a bogey-free 63—the lowest round of the week—featuring eight birdies. Jang spent last year competing in the LIV Golf League, though he was unable to maintain his playing privileges there. He views his current form as a sign that the high-pressure experience of the league has translated into better play on the Asian Tour.
“Last year didn’t go quite as I hoped, but I’m working hard to get back to that level,” Jang said, emphasizing a process-oriented approach rather than focusing on immediate outcomes.
The event also showcased the enduring class of Jeev Milkha Singh. The 54-year-old, primarily a fixture on Senior Tours, fought his way to a 69 to make the cut at one-under-par. For Singh, a two-time Order of Merit winner, the result is a reminder of his lasting relevance in the competitive landscape of the Asian Tour.
However, the day brought a surprising conclusion to one of the tour’s most reliable streaks. Richard T. Lee, the Canadian who recently made headlines after a playoff loss to Bryson DeChambeau at LIV Golf Singapore, missed the cut. A final-round 73 ended a remarkable run of 25 consecutive cuts made since 2023, a slide likely exacerbated by a grueling global travel schedule.
The Weekend Forecast
As the field heads into the final two rounds, the primary adversary may not be the other golfers, but the weather. Rain is forecast for the weekend, a factor that will fundamentally alter the strategy at Caledonian Golf Club.
Kim is already planning for the shift in conditions, noting that moisture in the air and on the ground will likely reduce carry distance. “Keeping the ball in the fairway will be very important,” Kim said. “From there, I’ll focus on staying patient, saving par when needed, and playing well around the greens.”
The tournament continues through the weekend, with the third round serving as the next critical checkpoint to see if Kim can maintain his lead or if the local experience of Imahira will prevail under dampened conditions.
Do you think the rain will favor the steady precision of Kochhar or the aggressive play of Imahira? Let us know in the comments below.
