GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grace Kim broke away late Saturday afternoon at Blythefield Nation Membership, birdieing 4 of the ultimate six holes to take a 5-stroke lead into the ultimate spherical of the Meijer LPGA Traditional.
Tied for the second-round lead with Ally Ewing, Kim shot a 6-under 66 to get to 17-under 199. The 23-year-old Australian gained in a playoff final 12 months in Hawai’i for her lone LPGA Tour title. She misplaced a big lead in April in Los Angeles within the JM Eagle LA Championship.
„Giving myself one other probability to, I assume, do it once more and really get it completed,“ Kim mentioned. „I do know I will strive my finest for tomorrow and everybody else will. This golf course requires lot of birdies, and there are quite a lot of good gamers out right here.“
Ewing adopted her second-round 63 with a 71 to drop right into a tie for second with Lexi Thompson, Anna Nordqvist, Allisen Corpuz and Narin An.
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„It was a bit of little bit of a scramble right this moment,“ Ewing mentioned. „I made some actually good putts to simply type of dangle in early.“
Thompson, the 2015 winner who has mentioned this shall be her final 12 months taking part in a full schedule, performed the ultimate six holes on the entrance 9 in 7 underneath in a 65. She has gone greater than 5 years with out profitable.
„Simply type of obtained right into a groove,“ Thompson mentioned. „It is a golf course you recognize it’s important to come out and play aggressive and make plenty of birdies. Simply got here out feeling very comfy, made just a few good swings and rolled in some putts.“
Nordqvist additionally shot 65. Corpuz had a 68, and An shot 69.
Kim had three straight birdies on the entrance 9 on Nos. 5-7, dropped a stroke on the par-5 tenth after which made the late cost with birdies on the par-3 thirteenth, par-5 14th, par-4 sixteenth and par-5 18th.
„Clearly, I completed fairly robust, so hopefully I can simply maintain that going,“ Kim mentioned. „Have a great evening meal. Watched a film yesterday. That is in all probability helped a bit of bit as nicely. Perhaps do this once more tonight and see. Contemporary for tomorrow.“
Lilia Vu, a former No. 1 participant and double main winner final 12 months, was tied for 14th at 9 underneath in her return from a again harm that sidelined her because the Ford Championship in late March. She shot 68.
Brooke Henderson, the Canadian who gained the occasion in 2017 and 2019, shot a 73 to drop right into a tie for twenty fourth at 7 underneath. Defending champion Leona Maguire was tied for 57th at 3 underneath after a 72.
High-ranked Nelly Korda left Friday after lacking her second straight minimize following a stretch of six victories in seven occasions. She gained at Blythefield in 2021 at a tournament-record 25 underneath.
The key KPMG Ladies’s PGA Championship is subsequent week at Sahalee exterior Seattle.
