It’s been three years and 11 months since Sei Young Kim last hoisted a trophy. Maybe this is the week she ends the drought.
Kim shot a 10-under 62 Thursday at the 2024 Buick LPGA Shanghai a round that included a front-nine 28. Kim started on the 10th hole and birdied her first five holes. After back-to-back pars, she eagled the 17th and birdied the 18th to get to 8 under through nine holes.
She cooled off on her second nine, parring five straight holes before her lone bogey on the sixth, but she then birdied her final three holes to get to 10 under and lead by two over Celine Boutier.
“After turn the nine hole I’m kind of, ‘Oh, I shoot 8 under.’ I never play like that, so I was a little bit of nervous,” Kim said about what she was thinking when she realized how well she was playing. “I don’t know. Then I try to calm down but after that my body reaction a little bit like tight, and then after couple holes I keep par and after bogey one hole, and I realize, okay, I just keep going what I did is front nine, and I able to knock three birdies and strong finish.”
Kim hit 11 of 14 fairways a nd 16 of 18 greens. She needed just 25 putts Thursday.
Lucy Li is solo third at 7 under. Leona Maguire is among those in a four-way tie for fourth at 6 under.
Kim has 12 LPGA victories but none since she won twice in 2020 including the Pelican Women’s Championship in November of that year. She is coming off her best finish of 2024 – a solo third – at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship two weeks ago.
The Buick LPGA Shanghai is the first of four straight events in Asia for the LPGA.