GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grace Kim broke away late Saturday afternoon at Blythefield Nation Membership, birdieing 4 of the ultimate six holes to take a 5-stroke lead into the ultimate spherical of the Meijer LPGA Basic.
Tied for the second-round lead with Ally Ewing, Kim shot a 6-under 66 to get to 17-under 199. The 23-year-old Australian received in a playoff final 12 months in Hawai’i for her lone LPGA Tour title. She misplaced a big lead in April in Los Angeles within the JM Eagle LA Championship.
“Giving myself one other likelihood to, I suppose, do it once more and truly get it achieved,” Kim mentioned. “I do know I’ll strive my greatest for tomorrow and everybody else will. This golf course requires lot of birdies, and there are a variety of good gamers out right here.”
Ewing adopted her second-round 63 with a 71 to drop right into a tie for second with Lexi Thompson, Anna Nordqvist, Allisen Corpuz and Narin An.
“It was a little bit little bit of a scramble immediately,” Ewing mentioned. “I made some actually good putts to simply sort of cling in early.”
Thompson, the 2015 winner who has mentioned this will probably be her final 12 months taking part in a full schedule, performed the ultimate six holes on the entrance 9 in 7 underneath in a 65. She has gone greater than 5 years with out successful.
“Simply sort of obtained right into a groove,” Thompson mentioned. “It is a golf course you understand you need to come out and play aggressive and make a lot of birdies. Simply got here out feeling very snug, made just a few good swings and rolled in some putts.”
Nordqvist additionally shot 65. Corpuz had a 68, and An shot 69.
Kim had three straight birdies on the entrance 9 on Nos. 5-7, dropped a stroke on the par-5 tenth after which made the late cost with birdies on the par-3 thirteenth, par-5 14th, par-4 sixteenth and par-5 18th.
“Clearly, I completed fairly robust, so hopefully I can simply maintain that going,” Kim mentioned. “Have an excellent night time meal. Watched a film yesterday. That is most likely helped a little bit bit as properly. Possibly do this once more tonight and see. Contemporary for tomorrow.”
Lilia Vu, a former No. 1 participant and double main winner final 12 months, was tied for 14th at 9 underneath in her return from a again harm that sidelined her for the reason that Ford Championship in late March. She shot 68.
Brooke Henderson, the Canadian who received the occasion in 2017 and 2019, shot a 73 to drop right into a tie for twenty fourth at 7 underneath. Defending champion Leona Maguire was tied for 57th at 3 underneath after a 72.
High-ranked Nelly Korda left Friday after lacking her second straight lower following a stretch of six victories in seven occasions. She received at Blythefield in 2021 at a tournament-record 25 underneath.
The most important KPMG Ladies’s PGA Championship is subsequent week at Sahalee outdoors Seattle.
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