LOS ANGELES – Kim Sei-young shot a 7-under 65 for the second consecutive 12 months to take a one-shot lead on Friday on the JM Eagle LA Championship, the ultimate match earlier than the primary ladies’s main of the season.
Enjoying within the morning waves on a hilly, tree-lined course, Kim birdied two of the primary three holes after which made nice strides with 5 birdies in seven holes on the again 9.
“I simply wish to preserve transferring ahead for the following two days,” stated the 33-year-old Korean athlete. “I’ll attempt to transfer ahead it doesn’t matter what place I’m in.”
First-round chief Chizzy Iwai (Japan) tied for second place with South Korea’s Ina Yun.
Iwai adopted up his opening 63 with a 68 and made three birdies on the again 9 within the late afternoon.
She additionally plans to assault the course.
“I like aggressive golf,” Iwai says. “I feel we should be aggressive tomorrow.”
Yun scored 64. She performed the primary 9 holes (the again 9 at El Caballero) at 7-under 29 and added a birdie on the par-5 seventh.
Yun stated, “I’ve by no means hit 29 strokes in 9 holes in my life.It was an unbelievable feeling.” “The again 9 was a bit disappointing.”
The Chevron Championship can be held in Houston subsequent week, and Kim, who relies within the Dallas space, is happy about his robust play that can result in a significant.
“I am actually wanting ahead to subsequent week,” Kim stated. “However we’ve two days left, so we simply must concentrate on this weekend.”
Kim received the BMW Girls Championship in South Korea final 12 months, the final of her 13 LPGA Tour titles. She received her solely main title on the 2020 KPMG Ladies’s Skilled Golf Championship.
Iwai received in Mexico final 12 months, incomes him his first victory on the LPGA Tour. Mr. Yoon is undefeated on tour.
Im Jin Hee (68), Melanie Inexperienced (68), and Jessica Porbasnik (69) have been 9 below, with a five-stroke distinction.
Hannah Inexperienced, the 2023 and 2024 winner at Wilshire Nation Membership, shot a 69 to go to eight below. The Australian has received three world championships this 12 months on the LPGA Tour: the HSBC Ladies’s World Championship, the Australian Ladies’s Open and the Australian WPGA.
On account of course renovations at Wilshire, the match can be held at El Caballero for the second 12 months in a row.
Defending champion Ingrid Lindblad shot a 72 to be 3 below.
Lauren Coughlin, who received at Shadow Creek two weeks in the past, shot a gap 66 however dropped to 2 below with a 76. On Friday, she had six bogeys.
Amateurs Asterisk Tully and Aphrodite Deng have been 4 below. Talley, 17, shot her second consecutive 70 in her first match since dropping the lead on the again 9 of the Augusta Nationwide Ladies’s Beginner. Deng, a local of Canada, shot a 72.
After opening with a 68, Kim Hyo-joo withdrew earlier than the spherical. She received back-to-back weeks within the Bay Space and Arizona and leads the tour this 12 months with two wins.
