A Lim Kim came out swinging at the Lotte Championship, starting with an eagle and never looking back. The former U.S. Women’s Open champ fired a 6-under 66 on Wednesday to grab the first-round lead at Hoakalei Country Club.
It’s perfect timing for Kim. She’s sitting at No. 65 in the Race to CME Globe, and time’s running out to crack the top 60. That matters big time – the season finale offers a whopping $4 million to the winner.
“It’s a good start today, so I think a fun day,” Kim said with a smile.
But she’s not the only one with something to prove this week.
Just one shot behind at 67, Bianca Pagdanganan is making her move. Currently ranked 107th, she needs to climb into the top 100 to keep her full tour card for next year. She was actually tied for the lead until hitting a couple late bumps, though she bounced back with a birdie on 18.
The afternoon winds kicked up on Oahu, and nobody could catch Kim’s morning score.
“I took advantage of all the birdie putts that I had,” Pagdanganan said. “But at the same time, still managed to play smart out there. With the conditions, it’s easy to get impatient.”
Joining her at 67 were Ruixin Liu, Polly Mack and Perrine Delacour – all fighting for their tour futures in one way or another.
Those winds? They took their toll. Japan’s Yuri Yoshida was cruising along tied for the lead with six birdies and no bogeys. Then came two late bogeys and some missed opportunities on the par 5s. She finished at 68.
The tournament’s missing most of the top-ranked players, with only two from the world’s top 10 showing up. Ayaka Furue, still in the hunt for the Vare Trophy (lowest scoring average), shot 70. Jin Young Ko matched that score as she tries to keep her seven-year streak of winning at least once each season.
But perhaps the day’s most interesting story was 14-year-old Honorine Nobuta Ferry. The Oahu native, who used to watch this tournament as a fan, made her LPGA debut on a sponsor’s exemption. Now living near Dallas to chase her golf dreams, she opened with a solid 74.
“I will definitely never forget this round,” the teenager said.
