Kim A-lim grabs four-shot lead at Tournament of Champions

ORLANDO – Kim A-lim of South Korea shot a sterling seven-under 65 on Jan 30 that handed her a four-stroke lead after one round of the Tournament of Champions, the LPGA’s season opener in Orlando, Florida.

Her seven-birdie, bogey-free card gave her ample cushion on the rest of the 32-woman field, all of whom shot between three under and three over in the first round. Compatriot Ko Jin-young and Thai Patty Tavatanakit are tied for second after carding 69.

Kim started on the back nine at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club. She was two under when she reached the par-four 18th and birdied two straight holes to propel her into the front nine. Birdies at Nos. 5, 7 and 9 closed her statement round. “My shot is good. Putting it good. Everything is good,” the 29-year-old said.

Ranked No. 55 in the world, her only LPGA victory before 2024 came at the 2020 Women’s US Open.

Last November, in the third-last event of the 2024 season, Kim broke through to win the Lotte Championship. Now she is parlaying that strong finish into a head start in 2025.

She said she stayed in her native South Korea for only three to four weeks before returning to Florida.

“Just worry about practising, because in January I focus really, really on body, weight training, and then some strength training. My body training. Not focus on practising. But this week I feel really great,” Kim said.

The next-closest golfers behind her are a pair of Major winners themselves. Ko posted a bogey-free 69 and told reporters after her round that she was doing too much thinking while trying to improve her game.

“I just want to make it simple this year. Golf is already a difficult sport, so I’m just trying to keep it simple in my mind,” she said.

Patty had four birdies offset by just one bogey.

“I’m a little exhausted from walking 18 holes for the first time this year... I feel like (my) golf was probably six out of 10, but kept it together and scored really well,” she said.

A large group at two-under 70 included American Rose Zhang.

The 21-year-old is heading back to classes at Stanford next week after participating in the LPGA season opener.

“I kind of got my head straight on what I wanted my objectives to be throughout the year, especially this year,” said Zhang, who does not expect to graduate until 2027 because she is taking classes only during winter quarters.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda shot a one-under 71. World No. 2 and tournament defending champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand struggled to a one-over 73.

Over at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am tournament, Rory McIlroy marked his PGA Tour season debut with a sensational hole-in-one on his way to a six-under 66 in the opening round on Jan 30.

The 35-year-old from Northern Ireland, who finished the day two shots adrift of leader Russell Henley, aced the par-three 15th hole at Spyglass Hill after lofting a wedge 119 yards off the tee and directly into the hole.

“Honestly, it was lucky. I don’t see many balls nowadays go straight in the hole and stay in the hole. Pretty fortunate because it could have come out and gone back in the water or do anything. It was a good swing, good wedge shot,” the four-time Major winner said.

McIlroy’s hole-in-one was the highlight of a bogey-free round that also included four birdies.

It was one of two aces recorded by Irishmen during the opening round, which was held over two separate courses in California at Spyglass Hill and the Pebble Beach Golf Links. Former British Open champion Shane Lowry emulated McIlroy, acing the 113-yard par-three seventh hole on the Pebble Beach layout. Lowry also carded a six-under round, making five birdies and a bogey for a 66.

McIlroy and Lowry were tied for eighth along with five other players on six under.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, playing in his first tournament since injuring his hand in a freak Christmas dinner accident, was one shot back on five under after an opening 67.

Scheffler’s American compatriot Henley, meanwhile, took sole possession of the first-round lead with a sizzling eight-under 64 at Spyglass Hill.

He reached the turn at four under after making four birdies on a bogey-free front nine, and then improved to seven under with birdies on the 10th, 11th and 13th holes. A bogey on the 14th checked his momentum, but a birdie-birdie finish on the 17th and 18th holes left him sitting on a slender one-shot lead.

“Nice way to finish and definitely excited about how I’m playing,” Henley said.

“I was reading the greens well and hitting my lines.” REUTERS, AFP