BELMONT, Mich. — A year after Grace Kim held the lead at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, she’s contending again early at Blythefield Country Club.

On Thursday in Belmont, Mich., Kim leaned on her prior experience at this venue as she managed to card six birdies, an eagle and just a single bogey en route to a 7-under 65 during the morning wave. Kim says the highlight of her opening round came when she made back-to-back chip-ins at the turn, one for an eagle on the par-5 10th hole followed by another for birdie at on 11.

“That was a good start to the back nine,” Kim said after her round. “Saved pars early and then loosened up as we went on. That was quite nice.”

The early conditions on day one were quite different from what Kim says she played in during the practice rounds at Blythefield. The wind switched to the opposite direction from its usual prevailing direction in Thursday’s first round, and depending on the wind’s direction, Kim says that the fairways can get quite tight. Although Kim failed to find the fairway five times on day one, she said missing the fairway isn’t as critical as positioning the ball in the right positions in the rough.

“We practiced left-to-right winds all week, and then all of a sudden, it's the other way,” Kim said after her round. “So just managing your start lines well and speaking to your caddie very precisely on the start lines and then commit to that line. It might not be even on the fairway. Just depends on the strength of the wind at this point.”

Mother Nature wasn’t the only challenge Kim had to face on Thursday as she returned to the site of a disappointing loss last season.

In 2024, the Aussie held a share of the second-round lead at the Meijer LPGA Classic and then broke away from the field to hold a five-stroke advantage heading into the final round. But Kim struggled on the last day in Michigan with a closing round of 73 to fall into a three-person playoff with Lilia Vu and Lexi Thompson. The trio played the 18th hole twice before moving on to the par-5 4th hole, where Vu ultimately won with a birdie. Kim has continued to put herself in position for another win several times since then, but her lone victory remains the 2022 LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei.

“Now that it's my third time here, I know what it should do,” Kim said about what she’s learned from competing in Michigan. “All I need to do is try to just putt, not overthink it as much.”

Returning to the site of a painful loss was just one of a few extenuating circumstances that could have had Kim on edge this week. The 24-year-old is without her regular caddie, Drew Ernst, who took the week off to welcome the birth of his child. At the last minute, Kim was able to get John Pond, Lauren Coughlin’s husband, to caddie for her at the Meijer LPGA Classic.

“I think we match pretty well. He's pretty chill,” Kim said about Pond. “I'm pretty self-sufficient at this point. I know the course and what I have to do. When I do need him, he's definitely there, so that's always nice.”

Kim matched her low round of the year on the LPGA Tour with her opening 65 at the Meijer LPGA Classic, which she also carded in the first round of the inaugural Black Desert Championship in Utah, a performance that ultimately resulted in her first and only top-10 finish of the 2025 season.

Grace Kim Contending Again at Meijer LPGA Classic After Opening Round of 65

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