Kim Surges to Lead at JM Eagle LA Championship with Second Straight 65
Sei Young Kim fired her second consecutive 7-under 65 at El Caballero to grab the lead at the JM Eagle LA Championship. She’s now one stroke ahead with two rounds to play in the final event before the season’s first major.
Kim started strong Friday morning, birdieing two of her first three holes. But it was her back nine performance that truly separated her, with five birdies in a seven-hole stretch on the hilly, tree-lined course.
“I just want to keep moving forward the next two days,” the 33-year-old South Korean said. “I try to move forward whatever my position.”
First-round leader Chizzy Iwai and Ina Yoon are tied for second, just one back. Iwai couldn’t match her opening 63 but still posted a solid 68 with a late surge that included three birdies in a four-hole stretch.
“I like aggressive golf,” Iwai said. “I think tomorrow I need to be aggressive.”
Yoon’s day was highlighted by an incredible start. She played her opening nine holes — the back nine at El Caballero — in 7-under 29 before cooling off slightly.
“I never shot 29 for nine holes in my life. It was unbelievable,” Yoon said. “The back nine was little bummer.”
With the Chevron Championship looming next week in Houston, Kim’s form is peaking at the perfect time. She’s based in the Dallas area, making the Texas major something of a home game.
“I’m very much looking to forward next week,” Kim said. “But I have two more days, so I just focus on this weekend.”
Kim’s resume includes 13 LPGA Tour titles, with her most recent victory coming at last year’s BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea. Her lone major championship came at the 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
Iwai broke through last year with her first LPGA Tour win in Mexico, while Yoon is still seeking her maiden victory.
Jin Hee Im (68), Melanie Green (68) and Jessica Porvasnik (69) sit five strokes back at 9 under.
Hannah Green, who won this event the past two years when it was held at Wilshire Country Club, posted a 69 to reach 8 under. The Australian has been on fire this year with three worldwide wins already — the HSBC Women’s World Championship on the LPGA Tour plus the Women’s Australian Open and Australian WPGA.
The tournament moved to El Caballero for the second straight year due to renovations at Wilshire.
Defending champion Ingrid Lindblad couldn’t match the leaders’ pace, shooting 72 to sit at 3 under.
Lauren Coughlin, who won at Shadow Creek just two weeks ago, struggled Friday. After an opening 66, she posted a 76 with six bogeys to fall to 2 under.
A couple of amateurs are making noise in the professional field. Seventeen-year-old Asterisk Talley, in her first event since losing the lead on the back nine at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, shot her second straight 70 to reach 4 under. Canadian amateur Aphrodite Deng is also at 4 under after a 72.
The field thinned slightly before Friday’s round as Hyo Joo Kim withdrew after opening with a 68. She’s been the tour’s hottest player this year with two victories, winning in consecutive weeks in the Bay Area and Arizona. Minjee Lee and Hye-Jin Choi also withdrew before the round.
