I.K. Kim and Sei Young Kim will share the 36-hole lead at 10-under at the LOTTE Championship Presented by HERSHEY. The duo is part of an almost all Korean
leaderboard as six of the top seven hail from South Korea.

“I feel like I played 36 holes, even though I had some rest,” I.K. Kim said of the long day at Ko Olina. “But it was a lot of wind yesterday and again this morning, so I feel really happy with the result because you never know. Even though you hit a good shot, in this wind it can be anywhere really. So I feel really good about how I played today and yesterday.”

“I think overall my game was in pretty good shape today,” Sei Young Kim said. “I worked on my fade shot yesterday because of the wind, and I think that has really worked out well for me today. My putter was also much better. I think that that’s why I was able to play under par today. It was a good round.”

Sitting alone in third at 7-under is Inbee Park, while Paula Creamer, Chella Choi, Mirim Lee and Jenny Shin sit four strokes back at 6-under. 72 players made the cut of 147 (+3).

“There are birdies out there,” Creamer said. “You just have to keep plugging along and be patient in these windy conditions.”

Numbers to know
6/7 - Six of the top-7 players on the leaderboard are from South Korea
10 - 23 players were within five strokes of the lead following round one, only 10 are after day two
116 - Yardage Michelle Wie holed out from for eagle on the par-4 15th
0.53 - The course played 0.53 strokes easier during the second round
10 - The par-4 10th has played as the hardest hole this week at 4.337

Not quite the gambler
I.K. Kim finds herself tied for the 36-hole lead thanks to a conservative approach on the course.

“Couple pin positions today were very tricky, so I had to kind of play conservative on few holes,” Kim admitted. “But if you hit a good shot you will have opportunities and make some birdies out there. So just got to kind of balance out I guess.”

Kim was equally as conservative when she spent some time during her off week in Las Vegas with friends.

“I don’t really gamble, but last time I was there I was only 20,” the 26-year old said. “My friends were like, We got to get out and have some fun. So we went out to watch the water show. We watched it twice, and then my friend said, try the Roulette, so I bet 100 bucks and I lost hundred bucks. I don’t think that’s worse thing that can happen. Maybe next time I’ll gamble smaller.”

Sei Young kim fueled by missed opportunity
Rookie Sei Young Kim finds herself in contention yet again as she sits tied with countrywoman I.K. Kim after posting her second-consecutive 5-under round of 67.

“I think overall my game was in pretty good shape today,” Kim said.

Kim, who won the PureSilk Bahamas LPGA Classic earlier this year, will not use her past victory to motivate her this weekend but rather will call upon a disappointing finish at the ANA Inspiration.

“That will certainly help me,” Kim said of already having won on Tour. “But I think what will motivate me better was the fact that I didn’t win last week. That’s really motivating me this week, and that is going to get me to play better.”

One of the things Kim has done to try and get better this week is to switch from playing her more natural draw to a fade.

“I can almost say that it was easier to make that adjustment, because I was making too many mistakes without making that adjustment,” Kim admitted. “Overall it wasn’t really that difficult. I had a much better day because of that.”

Creamer hopes to build upon impressive Hawaiian resume
Paula Creamer is no stranger to golf on the Hawaiian islands as two of her 10 career wins coming in the Aloha State. Creamer will look to add a third win in paradise to her resume at the LOTTE Championship Presented by HERSHEY this weekend.

“I have a pretty good record in Hawaii,” Creamer said with a smile. “I feel very comfortable just working the ball and putting the ball in the right spot, and hopefully going into the weekend I’ll just continue being aggressive and take my pars when you need to, but try to capitalize a little bit more on the par 5s.”

Creamer, who sits four back of the lead at 6-under, made her professional debut in Hawaii at the SBS Open at Turtle Bay in 2005 and won that event in 2007. She also captured a victory at Ko Olina in 2008 at the Fields Open.

“I love playing these types of golf courses,” Creamer said. “Just the wind, the conditions, your misses are exaggerated so much when you play in this kind of weather. Being a good ball striker is incredibly important, and that’s something that I’ve
always said was one of my strengths. For me, I like this. The windier it gets the better.”

Hole-out highlight’s day two for wie
Michelle Wie posted a 69 to climb into the top-10 (T8) at 5-under for the week. Wie also posted what many would consider the shot of the day when she holed out for eagle on the par-4, 15th.

“I had about 117 yards, a little gap wedge,” Wie said of the shot. “I kind of saw it roll over the hill and I was like, Oh, okay. It’s disappearing. Then everyone went crazy. It was pretty fun.”

The hole out highlighted the day for Wie who, starting on the back nine, made the turn in 4-under 32 but came in at 1-over 37 to finish her day at 3-under and sit 5-back of the leaders.

“I started off really hot,” Wie said. “A little bit disappointed that I couldn’t keep that going on the back nine. Had a couple bad breaks. Just try to stay patient all day and try to give myself good opportunities.”

Making the cut
72 players made the cut of 147 (+3). Notable players to miss the cut include Jessica Korda (+4), Ariya Jutanugarn (+6) and Se Ri Pak (+8).

Quote of the Day
“It is 2015. I think it’s time that we can do something with that. The Masters does such a great job of growing the game. In Augusta, just in that area, they’re so big of making golf bigger in all genres, whether it’s junior golf or just the excitement of it.

There is no reason why we can’t use that to grow women’s golf. We’re just as much a part of it as the men are. That would be awesome. I’ve played there. I’ve been there. I’ve stayed at Butler Cabin.

I think a lot of the patrons would enjoy two weeks there. You know, get to go back to Augusta and have the pimento cheese sandwiches again.

It’s a challenge to us as well. There is no reason why I don’t feel we shouldn’t be able to play. “

-Paula Creamer on having an LPGA event at Augusta National

2015 LOTTE Championship 2nd Round Notes and Interviews

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