Russia’s Guseva shoots 67 for share of Lotte Championship lead in Hawaii

By The Associated Press on November 7, 2024.

HONOLULU (AP) – Nataliya Guseva of Russia shot a 5-under 67 on Thursday for a share of the second-round lead in the Lotte Championship with A Lim Kim, Ruixin Liu and Yuri Yoshida.

Guseva holed out from 120 yards for eagle on the par-4 seventh and had four birdies and a bogey in her afternoon round to reach 9-under 135 at breezy Hoakalei Country Club.

“I was really trying to be in the present because it was super windy,” the 21-year-old former University of Miami player said. “I was like, `It could be like anything could happen today. I could shoot a great round and not even make the cut.'”

Kim, the first-round leader, bogeyed her final two holes late in the afternoon for a 69.

Samantha Grewal of Mississauga, Onta., shot 70 to sit three shots off the lead. Two-time Lotte champion Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., was six shots back after a second-round 71.

Kim is No. 65 in the Race to CME Globe, and only has two tournaments left to crack the top 60 and earn a spot in the season finale that pays $4 million to the winner. She won the U.S. Women’s Open in December 2020 for her lone LPGA Tour title.

“Today feel like a little change the wind every time, every single hole,” Kim said. “So, some hole made mistake and some hole I think it’s great. So, that’s golf.”

Yoshida shot 67, and Liu 68.

“I played well in very windy today,” Yoshida said.

Liu closed with a birdie on the par-3 ninth.

“I feel pretty satisfied today, especially playing the afternoon with the strong wind,” Liu said. “I’m able to stay patient and not overthinking because the easiest thing to do is just try to over-correct my swing during the wind.”

Ryann O’Toole was a stroke back after a 66.

“I felt very comfortable out there,” O’Toole said. “I like windy conditions.”

Auston Kim was another shot behind at 7 under, also shooting 66.

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

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