HONOLULU (AP) — Russia’s Nataliya Guseva shot a 5-under 67 on Thursday to share the lead in the second round of the Lotte Championship with A Lim Kim, Ruixin Liu and Yuri Yoshida.
Guseva holed out from 120 yards for eagle at the par-4 seventh and had four birdies and a bogey in her afternoon round to reach 9-under 135 at windy Hoakalei Country Club.
“I was really trying to be in the present because it was so windy,” the 21-year-old former University of Miami player said. “I was like, ‘This could be like anything could happen today. I could shoot a good shot and not even make the cut.'”
Kim, the leader of the first round, made bogey on her last two holes late in the afternoon for a 69.
Kim is No. 65 in the Race to CME Globe and has just two tournaments left to crack the top 60 and earn a spot in the season finale that will pay $4 million to the winner. She won the US Women’s Open in December 2020 for her only LPGA Tour title.
“Today I feel like I’m changing the wind a little bit every time, every hole,” Kim said. “So some holes we had mistakes and some holes I think it’s great. So, that’s golf.
Yoshida shot 67 and Liu 68.
“I played well today in very windy weather,” Yoshida said.
Liu closed with a birdie on the par-3 ninth.
“I feel quite satisfied today, especially playing in the afternoon with strong wind,” Liu said. “I’m able to stay patient and not think too much, because the easiest thing to do is just try to over-correct my swing through the wind.”
Ryann O’Toole was behind after a 66.
“I felt very comfortable there,” O’Toole said. “I like the windy conditions.”
Auston Kim was another shot behind at 7 under, also shooting 66.
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