Kim in lead at U.S. Girls Junior with record 62
Staff and wire reports
LAKEWOOD, Wash. » Former Big Island girl Kimberly Kim tied the tournament record with a 10-under 62 yesterday to grab a commanding lead after the first day of the 2007 U.S. Girls Junior Championship at Tacoma Country and Golf Club
"I was telling my dad that I've been hitting really bad and putting really bad, so don't expect anything," Kim told USGA.com. "I don't know what it was," added Kim, who birdied six of her last nine holes to finish with a bogey-free round. "But everything just seemed to work out."
Seventeen-year-old Mina Harigae, the 2007 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links champion, is among those in a three-way tie for second place, six shots back at 68. Defending event champion Jenny Shin, 14, of Torrance, Calif., was 1 over.
Kim is one of seven players with Hawaii ties competing in the tournament.
Honolulu's Stephanie Kono, shot a 35-34--69; Kahului's Elyse Okada had a 35-37--72; Cyd Okino, of Honolulu, carded a 36-37--73; Ayaka Kaneko, also of Honolulu, finished with a 38-36--74, and Kyung Kim, of Wailuku, posted a 38-43--81.
The second day of stroke play is set for today. The field will be cut to the low 64 for match play, which begins tomorrow. The final is Saturday.
"Tomorrow I can shoot like 10 over but I'd make the cut still, and that would be fine with me," said Kim, 15, the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur champion who lives in Arizona. "I just want to make the cut first, and then it doesn't matter what you're shooting, because in match play, nothing matters."
Kim's record-tying 62 matches the tournament record put up in 2001 by current LPGA Tour pro Christina Kim. Christina Kim's round was 8 under on a par-70 course.
U.S. Girls' Jr. Championship
At Lakewood, Wash.
Yardage: 6,363; Par 72
First round leaders
Kimberly Kim, Hilo |
31-31 |
-- |
62
|
Evan Jensen, Belleair, Fla. |
34-34 |
-- |
68
|
Kristen Park, Buena Park, Calif. |
34-34 |
-- |
68
|
Mina Harigae, Monterey, Calif. |
32-36 |
-- |
68 |
Other Hawaii participants |
Stephanie Kono, Honolulu |
34-35 |
-- |
69
|
Elyse Okada, Kahului |
35-37 |
-- |
72
|
Cyd Okino, Honolulu |
36-37 |
-- |
73
|
Ayaka Kaneko, Honolulu |
38-36 |
-- |
74
|
Kyung Kim, Wailuku |
38-43 |
-- |
81 |