Grace Kim shoots 7
LOS ANGLES (AP) — Grace Kim shot a 7-under 64 at Wilshire Country Club to take the first-round lead Thursday in the LPGA Tour’s JM Eagle LA Championship.
Playing in the morning session, the 23-year-old Australian capped her bogey-free round with a chip-in birdie on the par-3 18th.
“Well, I chunked my tee shot on the last hole 20 meters short and then I chipped it in it,” Kim said. “I think that’s pretty cool, in front of everyone.”
Maja Stark of Sweden, Sei Young Kim of South Korea and Chanettee Wannasaen of Thailand were a stroke back at 65. Stark finished second last week outside Houston in The Chevron Championship, two strokes behind top-ranked Nelly Korda.
“I was so tired when I got here,” Stark said. “I barely been practicing. Just did a little bit of what I needed to do. I feel like it’s kind of similar anyway because there are just some pins that you can’t go for just like at Chevron.”