It was a good start on a couple of levels for Kim, whose lone LPGA title remains that 2020 U.S Women’s Open at Champions Golf Club played in December due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
She 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 $4 million ($A6m) to the winner.
“It’s a good start today, so I think a fun day,” she said.
So many others right behind also have plenty at stake. The top 100 players after next week’s tournament in Florida retain full cards for 2025. Among those on 67 is Bianca Pagdanganan, who started the week at No.107.
She was tied for the lead until a pair of late bogeys, and then made birdie on the par-5 18th at Hoakalei Country Club. Pagdanganan avoided the blustery afternoon conditions on Oahu that kept anyone from catching Kim.
“I took advantage of all the birdie putts that I had, gave myself a lot of opportunities,” Pagdanganan said. “But at the same time, still managed to play smart out there. Again, with the conditions, it’s easy to get impatient.”
Also on 67 are Ruixin Liu, Polly Mack and Perrine Delacour, all of them with plenty at stake whether it’s trying to finish in the top 60 for the CME Group Tour Championship or the top 100 to secure a full card for next year.
The wind was strong enough to derail a couple of good rounds. Yuri Yoshida of Japan is at No.132 in points. She was tied for the lead with six birdies and no bogeys on her card until Yoshida made two bogeys on the back nine and failed to birdie the two par 5s. She wound up on 68.
The field has only two players from the top 10 in the women’s world ranking. One of them is Ayaka Furue, who won the Evian Championship this year for her first major.
Furue shot a 70 and is in a tie for 21st in a group that includes Jin Young Ko – the other top-10 player – and Australians Steph Kyriacou and Robyn Choi.
Kyriacou is No.59 in the Championship race, but Choi could do with a big week in her bid to retain her full card for next season as she sits at No.111.
Grace Kim at No.49 made an even-par 72 while Hira Naveed, in her rookie LPGA season, shot a 74.
Also in the field is Honorine Nobuta Ferry, a 14-year-old who received a sponsor exemption for her LPGA debut. She grew up on Oahu and once attended the Lotte Championship. She was in Japan last week and watched the Toto Japan Classic, and now is playing alongside them.
The teen, who now lives in Dallas for ease of travel in junior tournaments, opened with 11 pars and shot 74.
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