A Lim Kim Takes LOTTE Championship Lead With Opening 65
Defending champion A Lim Kim shot a 7-under 65 to take the lead at the LOTTE Championship in Hawaii. Despite challenging weather conditions, Kim maintained a one-shot lead over competitors Yu Liu and Ina Yoon.
Why it matters
Provides a status update on a major professional golf tournament and the performance of top-ranked players.
A Lim Kim didn't let Hawaii's wind and rain get in the way of another strong performance at the LOTTE Championship.
The defending tournament champion handled difficult conditions at Hoakalei Country Club on Thursday, firing a bogey-free 7-under 65 to grab a one-shot lead after the opening round.
Kim, who won the LOTTE Championship in 2024, made her biggest move late in the round by stringing together three consecutive birdies at Nos. 15, 16 and 17 before finishing with a par at the par-5 18th.
With intermittent rain adding another variable to an already wind-sensitive golf course, Kim said controlling the golf ball became especially important.
"Trajectory for control and then putting really important on this course because it is very windy," Kim said. "And then today rain is back and forth, back and forth, so tough conditions."
The conditions clearly didn't bother her much.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in