Charley Hull, Catriona Matthew in top 10
Christina Kim opens one-shot lead at LPGA
Volvik Championship
On Thursday she obliterated that barrier.
Kim fired an 8-under 64 at Travis Pointe Country Club to take a one-shot lead in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Apparently, despite the scores, this was a long time coming.
“Well, to be honest, I’ve been playing really well. It’s just the scores haven’t reflected how I’ve been playing,” Kim said.
She’s being closely pursued though by the hottest player on the LPGA. Ariya Jutanugarn, winner of the circuit’s last two events, opened her tournament with a bogey-free 7-under 65. No other player posted a round better than 68 on the day.
For Jutanugarn, it was done by a steady stream of birdies and a late surge of three in four holes as she closed out her round. There was a bogey on Kim’s card, but only after a birdie-eagle stretch on Nos. 13 and 14 (Kim started the round on No. 10). She followed with six birdies in nine holes from Nos. 18 to 8.
World No. 1 Lydia Ko opened the tournament with a 1-under 71 and sits in a tie for 17th for her effort.
Kim is a three-time LPGA winner.
WORLD NO. 2 INBEE PARK SHOOTS AN 84 - THEN
WITHDRAWS DUE TO THUMB INJURY
For a second consecutive week, Rolex Rankings No. 2 Inbee Park was forced to withdraw due to a nagging thumb injury.She withdrew after returning a score of 84.
“Well, it was a torture out there today, but even if I don’t get to play tomorrow, I really wanted to finish it off today and just I just didn’t want to give it up in the middle of the round like last week,” Park explained.
“So that was really the main goal. Obviously I’m just really restricted on my swing, to make a couple movements it’s painful. And just, yeah, just wanted to play with the pain and just to see if I can get over it.”
Park is planning to skip next week’s ShopRite LPGA Classic and try to tee it up again at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
“I was really looking forward into going to the Hall of Fame moment. So I really like to play in the KPMG tournament, defend my title,” Park said. “I have a lot of family and friends coming that week so I like to play through that week. So I don’t know, that could be it so I’m just going to have to wait and see.”
SCOREBOARD
par 72
Labels: LPGA TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | 7:51:00 am
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