A Lim Kim makes ace, takes lead into Lotte Championship finale

HONOLULU (AP) — A Lim Kim had a hole-in-one on the par-3 ninth and birdied the final two holes for a 5-under 67 and one-stroke lead over Nataliya Guseva on Friday in the Lotte Championship.

“Calculate number and then chose line and then hit it,” Kim said about the ace. “I think 99% lucky.”

Kim rebounded from a bogey on the par-4 16th with the birdies on the par-4 17th and par-5 18th. She had a 14-under 202 total at breezy Hoakalei Country Club with a round left in the event that started Wednesday.

“Every tournament I think same — focus on my line and then hit it,” Kim said. “That’s it. Any result, I don’t care.”

Kim is No. 65 in the Race to CME Globe, and only has two tournaments left to crack the top 60 and earn a spot in the season finale that pays $4 million to the winner. The 29-year-old South Korean player won the U.S. Women’s Open in December 2020 for her lone LPGA Tour title.

Guseva, the 21-year-old player trying to become the first Russian winner in LPGA Tour history, shot 68. She bogeyed the 17th for the third day in a row.

“I enjoy playing out there,” Guseva said. “Still a lot of wind, but not as much as yesterday. Super excited for tomorrow.”

Ryann O’Toole was third at 11 under after a 69. She wasn't pleased with the pace of play.

“Very slow. Felt like it was turtle slow,” O’Toole said.

Jin Young Ko shot 67 to join Auston Kim (69) and Yuri Yoshida (71) at 10 under.