I.K. Kim is no stranger to wins and major championships and she’s in position to add the ANA Inspiration to her portfolio.
Kim went out early on Friday at Mission Hills and shot the round of the week — an impressive seven-under par 65 that powered her to a three-shot lead at the halfway mark of the season’s first major championship.
“I think I’ve learned a lot the past few weeks,” Kim said after her dazzling round. “I had that as a positive coming in this week. I have new clubs, getting used to them.”
Kim took advantage of calmer conditions in the early morning. “There wasn’t much wind on the front nine, it was good to have those conditions, it picked up on the back nine.”
The winds got stronger as the day progressed, the late afternoon players found the going tougher, including Lexi Thompson. Thompson played the back nine first and worked her way to five-under par and tied for second until she made late bogeys at the seventh and eighth thanks to some poor approach shots.
Katherine Kirk’s 68 got her to five-under, the only player at that number. She’ll be in the final pairing with Kim on Saturday.
