Sei Young Kim delivered an impressive performance at the BMW Ladies Championship in Haenam, South Korea, carding a 3-under-par 69 on Saturday. This score has positioned her with a commanding four-stroke lead heading into the final round. Kim’s round was highlighted by a crucial eagle on the 17th hole, complementing her five birdies and four bogeys at Pine Beach Golf Links.
Setting a new benchmark, Kim broke the previous 54-hole tournament scoring record with a total of 19-under 197. She is on track to surpass the 72-hole record of 266, established by Jin Young Ko and Hee Jeong Lim in 2021 at LPGA International Busan. This tournament marks a significant opportunity for Kim as she aims for her 13th LPGA Tour victory and her first since 2020.
While Kim holds a solid lead, she remains focused on her performance rather than the outcome. “You just have to deal with the situation, whichever that you have, so that’s — I think that’s the homework that I have for Sunday, and it’s really a fight against myself,” Kim stated. “I think that applies to all sports games. I hope to succeed at that on Sunday.”
Kim’s lead is followed closely by American Yealimi Noh, who shot a 67 on Saturday, and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, who finished with a 69. Noh expressed confidence from her earlier victory at the Founders Cup, stating, “Just so much confidence, confidence that I really needed. And then it was a great start to the year.”
Despite her strong performance, Noh acknowledged the challenge ahead. “Obviously being one of the first events, and it just helped me keep that momentum and get it back this time of the year, too,” she added.
As the tournament progresses, the competition remains fierce. American Brooke Matthews struggled with a triple-bogey on the par-3 15th hole, dropping to six strokes behind Kim and tying for fourth place with South Korea’s Somi Lee, France’s Celine Boutier, and Japan’s Rio Takeda. All four players are closely tracking the leaders as they enter the final round.
In the standings, Korean A Lim Kim and Sweden’s Linn Grant are tied for eighth at 12-under, just one shot ahead of defending champion Hannah Green and fellow Australian Minjee Lee. Additionally, Korean Haeji Kang withdrew from the competition due to an injury sustained during the third round.
As the players prepare for the final round, all eyes will be on Sei Young Kim to see if she can maintain her lead and secure the title at this prestigious tournament.
