HONOLULU (AP) — Nataliya Guseva of Russia shot a 5-under 67 Thursday for a share of the lead in the second round of the Lotte Championship with A Lim Kim, Ruixin Liu and Yuri Yoshida.
Guseva holed out from 400 feet for Eagle on the par-4 seventh and had four birdies and a bogey in her afternoon round to reach 9-under 135 at the breezy Hoakalei Country Club.
“I was really trying to be in the present because it was super windy,” said the 21-year-old former University of Miami player. “I was like, ‘It could be like anything could happen today. I could shoot a great round and not even make the cut. ”
Kim, the first-round leader, bogeyed her last two holes for a 69 late in the afternoon.
Kim is ranked No. 65 in the Race to CME Globe and has just two more tournaments to crack the top 60 and earn a spot in the season finale, which pays $4 million to the winner. She won the US Women’s Open in December 2020 for her only LPGA Tour title.
“Today it feels like the wind changes a little bit every time, every hole,” Kim said. “So some holes I made a mistake and some holes I love. So that’s golf.”
Yoshida shot 67 and Liu 68.
“I played well today in the very windy conditions,” Yoshida said.
Liu closed with a birdie on the par-3 ninth.
“I feel quite satisfied today, especially when I play in the afternoon with the strong wind,” Liu said. “I can stay patient and not think too much because the easiest thing I can do is just try to overcorrect my swing when the wind is blowing.”
Ryann O’Toole was one stroke back after a 66.
“I felt very comfortable there,” O’Toole said. “I like windy conditions.”
Auston Kim fell behind again at 7 under and also shot 66.
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