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 received in a playoff final yr 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 likelihood to, I assume, do it once more and truly get it carried out,” Kim stated. “I do know I will attempt my finest for tomorrow and everybody else will. This golf course requires lot of birdies, and there are loads 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 at the moment,” Ewing stated. “I made some actually good putts to only type of hold in early.”
Thompson, the 2015 winner who has stated this shall be her final yr enjoying 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 bought right into a groove,” Thompson stated. “It is a golf course you understand you must come out and play aggressive and make a number of birdies. Simply got here out feeling very snug, made a number of 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 sturdy, so hopefully I can simply hold that going,” Kim stated. “Have a very good evening meal. Watched a film yesterday. That is in all probability helped a bit of bit as properly. Possibly do this once more tonight and see. Recent for tomorrow.”
Lilia Vu, a former No. 1 participant and double main winner final yr, was tied for 14th at 9 underneath in her return from a again harm that sidelined her for the reason that Ford Championship in late March. She shot 68.
Brooke Henderson, the Canadian who received 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 lower following a stretch of six victories in seven occasions. She received at Blythefield in 2021 at a tournament-record 25 underneath.
The key KPMG Ladies’s PGA Championship is subsequent week at Sahalee exterior Seattle.
