A Lim Kim is closing in on a wire-to-wire victory at the LPGA Tour’s season opener, holding a three-shot lead after three rounds at Lake Nona. Kim fired a 5-under 67 on Saturday at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, reaching 15-under overall.
Kim’s putting has been exceptional – she’s needed just 81 putts through three rounds, the best in the field. The 29-year-old South Korean showed her short game magic by holing bunker shots for eagle at the par-5 ninth and birdie at the par-4 14th. She finished strong with a birdie at 18 to maintain her cushion.
“My goal, my starting goal always my job, not result,” Kim said. “So, I really focus on my prepare, process, and then, just hit it. That’s all. So my position, I don’t care. That’s not important for me.”
Name
Events
Top 10
Money
Sweden’s Linn Grant matched Kim’s 67 to stay within striking distance at 12-under. Grant, who broke through with her first LPGA win at last year’s Dana Open, also birdied the final hole.
Defending champion Lydia Ko made the day’s biggest move with a 65, climbing into a tie for third at 11-under with world No. 1 Nelly Korda, who shot 67. Ko’s improvement on the greens has been key to her surge.
“Everything has been pretty solid,” Ko said. “Even the first day I hit the ball decent. Really struggled on the greens. I think that part of my game has improved the most the past couple days. Golf is strange.”
Lauren Coughlin sits alone in fifth at 8-under after posting 68.
In the celebrity division, former NHL player Joe Pavelski leads with 109 points under the modified Stableford scoring system. Former tennis pro Mardy Fish and actor Jack Wagner are tied for second, while Asterisk Talley tops the amateur field with 109 points.
