GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grace Kim took off late Saturday afternoon at Blythefield Country Club and birdied four of the last six holes to take a five-stroke lead into the final round of the Meijer LPGA Classic.
Kim tied for the lead in the second round with Ally Ewing, shooting a 6-under 66 to reach 17-under 199. The 23-year-old Australian won in a playoff in Hawaii last year for her only LPGA Tour title. She lost a big lead in the JM Eagle LA Championship in April in Los Angeles.
“I’m giving myself one more chance to do it again and actually get it done,” Kim said. “I know I’ll do my best for tomorrow, and everyone else will too. This golf course calls for a lot of birdies and there are a lot of good players here. ”
Ewing followed her second-round 63 with a 71 to finish tied for second with Lexi Thompson, Anna Nordqvist, Allisen Corpuz and Narin An.
“It was a bit of a struggle today,” Ewing said. “I made some really good putts to stay in there early.”
Thompson, the 2015 winner who has said this will be her last year playing a full schedule, played the last six holes on the front nine at 7 under in a 65. She hasn’t won in more than five years.
“I just got into a little bit of trouble,” Thompson said. “This is a golf course where you know you have to play aggressively and make a lot of birdies. I just came out really comfortable, made some good swings and rolled in a few putts.
Nordqvist also shot 65. Corpuz had a 68 and An shot 69.
Kim had three straight birdies on the front nine at Nos. 5-7, dropped a stroke on the par-5 10th and then made the late charge with birdies at the par-3 13th, par-5 14th, par-4 16th and par-5 18th.
“Obviously I finished pretty strong, so hopefully I can just keep that going,” Kim said. “Have a good dinner. Watched a movie yesterday. That probably helped a bit too. Maybe do it again tonight and see. Fresh for tomorrow.”
Lilia Vu, a former No. 1 player and two-time major winner last year, was ranked 14th at 9 under in her return from a back injury that has sidelined her since the Ford Championship in late March. She shot 68.
Brooke Henderson, the Canadian who won the event in 2017 and 2019, shot a 73 to finish tied for 24th at 7 under. Defending champion Leona Maguire finished in 57th place at 3 under after a 72.
Top-ranked Nelly Korda exited Friday after missing her second straight series following a run of six wins in seven events. She won at Blythefield in 2021 with a tournament record of 25 under.
The big KPMG Women’s PGA Championship takes place next week in Sahalee, just outside Seattle.
