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A Lim Kim scores a hole-in-one and two late birdies to take the lead in the final of the Lotte Championship in Hawaii.
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A Lim Kim scores a hole-in-one and two late birdies to take the lead in the final of the Lotte Championship in Hawaii.

HONOLULU – A Lim Kim had a hole-in-one at the par-3 ninth and birdied the final two holes for a 5-under 67 and one-stroke lead over Nataliya Guseva on Friday in the Lotte Championship.

“Calculate the number, then pick the line and hit it,” said Kim, who used a 9-iron on the 140-yard ninth hole. “I think 99% chance.”

Kim bounced back from a bogey at the par-4 16th with birdies at the par-4 17th and the par-5 18th. She had a 14-under 202 total at Hoakalei Country Club, with one round remaining in the event that began Wednesday.

“Every tournament, I think the same thing: Focus on my line and hit it,” Kim said. “That’s it. Whatever the outcome, I don’t care.

Kim is No. 65 in the Race to CME Globe and has just two tournaments left to crack the top 60 and earn a spot in the season finale that will pay $4 million to the winner. The 29-year-old South Korean won the US Women’s Open in December 2020 for her only LPGA Tour title.

Guseva, the 21-year-old trying to become the first Russian winner in LPGA Tour history, shot 68. She bogeyed the 17th for the third day in a row.

“I love playing there,” Guseva said. “There is still a lot of wind, but not as much as yesterday. Super excited for tomorrow.

Ryann O’Toole finished third at 11 under after a score of 69. She wasn’t happy with the pace of play.

“Very slow. I felt like it was a slow turtle,” O’Toole said.

Jin Young Ko shot 67 to join Auston Kim (69) and Yuri Yoshida (71) at 10 under.

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AP Golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

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