Sei Young Kim will take a one shot lead over countrywoman I.K Kim heading into Saturday’s final round of the LOTTE Championship Presented by HERSHEY.
“I think overall I didn’t have the really good feel for my shots today. Started to get better as the round went on, but my putting wasn’t working too well. Overall it was a pretty tough round,” Sei Young Kim admitted through an interpretor.
Kim, who sits at 12-under for the week following a Friday 70, finds herself in a similar position to the last event, the ANA Inspiration, where she held the 54-hole lead by three shots and was unable to close.
“I’m going to enjoy and try to have a good time,” Sei Young Kim said through her translator. “When I was playing the final round at ANA Inspiration I was under a lot of pressure. I felt a lot of nerves during that tournament. But tomorrow I’m going to try to do the same thing I’ve done the past three days here and try to enjoy the rounds. I think I’m going to be able to come out with a different outcome tomorrow.”
I.K. Kim, who is looking for her fourth LPGA victory and first since the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in 2010, will take a confident attitude into the final round.
“I feel good,” I.K. Kim said. “If I hit a good drives tomorrow and I make some good putts, I think it’ll be very interesting.”
Sitting in third at 10-under is 13-time LPGA winner Inbee Park, who will help round out the final group for the second-consecutive day.
“it’s always exciting to play with good golfers,” Park said. “So I’m excited for tomorrow.”
Numbers to know
5 - The top-5 players on the leaderboard are from South Korea
17 - The final group has combined for 17 victories on the LPGA Tour - Inbee Park (13), I.K. Kim (3), Sei Young Kim (1)
75 - Score shot by Sei Young Kim during the final round of the ANA Inspiration. Prior to the 75, all five of Sei Young Kim’s final rounds this season had been in the 60s.
10 - The par-4 10th has played as the hardest hole this week at 4.248
Sei Young Kim looking to finish the job
Sei Young Kim finds herself in a familiar position at the top of the leaderboard. However, the rookie will look to do something unfamiliar, win while holding the 54-hole lead.
“You know, believe it or not, every tournament I won in my career I was the chaser and coming from behind, so I’m more used to that and more comfortable with that,” Kim explained through her translator. “Being able to be in the lead and close out the tournament is probably something that I need to overcome and learn moving forward. I look forward to doing that as well.”
As she mentioned earlier in the week Kim, who won the PureSilk Bahamas LPGA Classic earlier this year, will not use her past victory to motivate her this weekend but rather a disappointing final round 75 when she slept on the lead at the ANA Inspiration.
“I mentioned a couple days ago it would really be because of ANA. The fact that I didn’t win that tournament is giving me a lot of motivation. If I win tomorrow, sort of the first point that I will point to is the fact that I didn’t win last week.”
Up and down day leaves Wie eight back
Michelle Wie carded a 1-over, 73, on Friday to fall eight strokes behind Sei Young Kim’s pace.
“Up and down day,” Wie said. “Pretty windy. I felt like I made a lot of birdies; just made a couple stupid errors. Hopefully tomorrow I can go out there and shoot lights out.”
Wie’s card was colorful as it featured four birdies and five bogeys.
“Just try to stay patient,” Wie said when asked about her approach going into the final round. “You have a game plan. Have to stick on the game plan. The game plan works if you stick with it and do it. Same thing for tomorrow. I’m not going to change anything. Just going to try to play the best I can.”
Kerr goes low
Cristie Kerr tied the low round of day with a 5-under, 67, to jump up into a tie for eighth.
“Mentally, I was so good today,” Kerr said. “I had a bit of an off day yesterday which was unfortunate but hopefully I’ll go out tomorrow and have another good day.”
Kerr ended the round in style by chipping in for birdie on the 18th.
“Especially in the spot I was in, I was lucky to have missed the bunker and it was just really tricky and my caddie Greg helped me make a good decision with the type of shot to hit and I just pulled it off.”
Pettersen wds
Suzann Pettersen entered moving day at 3-under par and poised to make a run but was unable to even reach the first tee due to a shoulder injury which forced her to withdraw.
“It’s just a flair in my left shoulder and after consulting with my physio and medical team we have decided to give it a couple of days rest,” Pettersen said. “I want to thank LOTTE for another great event and look forward to competing here again in the future.”
Pettersen later took to Twitter and said that she hopes to be back for next week’s event in San Francisco.
“Tough luck this week. Thanks for the all of the kind words and well wishes. I hope to be back out there next week.”
Quote of the Day
“For this particular moment right now, no, I don’t feel the pressure. Obviously once I tee off tomorrow I’m not sure what’s going to go through my mind. Because I put a lot of pressure on myself and I was under a lot of pressure last time at ANA, I think it’ll be much better and I will have a different experience tomorrow, I believe.”
-Sei Young Kim (through interpretor) on if she is feeling any pressure heading into the final round
“I think overall I didn’t have the really good feel for my shots today. Started to get better as the round went on, but my putting wasn’t working too well. Overall it was a pretty tough round,” Sei Young Kim admitted through an interpretor.
Kim, who sits at 12-under for the week following a Friday 70, finds herself in a similar position to the last event, the ANA Inspiration, where she held the 54-hole lead by three shots and was unable to close.
“I’m going to enjoy and try to have a good time,” Sei Young Kim said through her translator. “When I was playing the final round at ANA Inspiration I was under a lot of pressure. I felt a lot of nerves during that tournament. But tomorrow I’m going to try to do the same thing I’ve done the past three days here and try to enjoy the rounds. I think I’m going to be able to come out with a different outcome tomorrow.”
I.K. Kim, who is looking for her fourth LPGA victory and first since the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in 2010, will take a confident attitude into the final round.
“I feel good,” I.K. Kim said. “If I hit a good drives tomorrow and I make some good putts, I think it’ll be very interesting.”
Sitting in third at 10-under is 13-time LPGA winner Inbee Park, who will help round out the final group for the second-consecutive day.
“it’s always exciting to play with good golfers,” Park said. “So I’m excited for tomorrow.”
Numbers to know
5 - The top-5 players on the leaderboard are from South Korea
17 - The final group has combined for 17 victories on the LPGA Tour - Inbee Park (13), I.K. Kim (3), Sei Young Kim (1)
75 - Score shot by Sei Young Kim during the final round of the ANA Inspiration. Prior to the 75, all five of Sei Young Kim’s final rounds this season had been in the 60s.
10 - The par-4 10th has played as the hardest hole this week at 4.248
Sei Young Kim looking to finish the job
Sei Young Kim finds herself in a familiar position at the top of the leaderboard. However, the rookie will look to do something unfamiliar, win while holding the 54-hole lead.
“You know, believe it or not, every tournament I won in my career I was the chaser and coming from behind, so I’m more used to that and more comfortable with that,” Kim explained through her translator. “Being able to be in the lead and close out the tournament is probably something that I need to overcome and learn moving forward. I look forward to doing that as well.”
As she mentioned earlier in the week Kim, who won the PureSilk Bahamas LPGA Classic earlier this year, will not use her past victory to motivate her this weekend but rather a disappointing final round 75 when she slept on the lead at the ANA Inspiration.
“I mentioned a couple days ago it would really be because of ANA. The fact that I didn’t win that tournament is giving me a lot of motivation. If I win tomorrow, sort of the first point that I will point to is the fact that I didn’t win last week.”
Up and down day leaves Wie eight back
Michelle Wie carded a 1-over, 73, on Friday to fall eight strokes behind Sei Young Kim’s pace.
“Up and down day,” Wie said. “Pretty windy. I felt like I made a lot of birdies; just made a couple stupid errors. Hopefully tomorrow I can go out there and shoot lights out.”
Wie’s card was colorful as it featured four birdies and five bogeys.
“Just try to stay patient,” Wie said when asked about her approach going into the final round. “You have a game plan. Have to stick on the game plan. The game plan works if you stick with it and do it. Same thing for tomorrow. I’m not going to change anything. Just going to try to play the best I can.”
Kerr goes low
Cristie Kerr tied the low round of day with a 5-under, 67, to jump up into a tie for eighth.
“Mentally, I was so good today,” Kerr said. “I had a bit of an off day yesterday which was unfortunate but hopefully I’ll go out tomorrow and have another good day.”
Kerr ended the round in style by chipping in for birdie on the 18th.
“Especially in the spot I was in, I was lucky to have missed the bunker and it was just really tricky and my caddie Greg helped me make a good decision with the type of shot to hit and I just pulled it off.”
Pettersen wds
Suzann Pettersen entered moving day at 3-under par and poised to make a run but was unable to even reach the first tee due to a shoulder injury which forced her to withdraw.
“It’s just a flair in my left shoulder and after consulting with my physio and medical team we have decided to give it a couple of days rest,” Pettersen said. “I want to thank LOTTE for another great event and look forward to competing here again in the future.”
Pettersen later took to Twitter and said that she hopes to be back for next week’s event in San Francisco.
“Tough luck this week. Thanks for the all of the kind words and well wishes. I hope to be back out there next week.”
Quote of the Day
“For this particular moment right now, no, I don’t feel the pressure. Obviously once I tee off tomorrow I’m not sure what’s going to go through my mind. Because I put a lot of pressure on myself and I was under a lot of pressure last time at ANA, I think it’ll be much better and I will have a different experience tomorrow, I believe.”
-Sei Young Kim (through interpretor) on if she is feeling any pressure heading into the final round
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