Nataliya Guseva Shares Lead at Lotte Championship After Impressive Second Round

Nataliya Guseva of Russia has made a significant impact at the Lotte Championship, shooting a 5-under 67 in the second round to share the lead with A Lim Kim, Ruixin Liu, and Yuri Yoshida. The tournament is being held at the breezy Hoakalei Country Club in Honolulu.

Guseva’s round was highlighted by an eagle on the par-4 seventh hole, where she holed out from 120 yards. She also had four birdies and a bogey, bringing her total to 9-under 135. “I was really trying to be in the present because it was super windy,” Guseva explained. “I was like, `It could be like anything could happen today. I could shoot a great round and not even make the cut.'”

A Lim Kim, the first-round leader, had a slightly tougher afternoon, bogeying her final two holes to finish with a 69. Kim is currently ranked No. 65 in the Race to CME Globe and is under pressure to crack the top 60 to earn a spot in the season finale, which offers a $4 million prize. Kim has one LPGA Tour title, having won the U.S. Women's Open in December 2020.

Yuri Yoshida and Ruixin Liu also performed well in the windy conditions. Yoshida shot a 67, while Liu closed her round with a birdie on the par-3 ninth, finishing with a 68. “I played well in very windy today,” Yoshida said. Liu added, “I feel pretty satisfied today, especially playing the afternoon with the strong wind. I’m able to stay patient and not overthinking because the easiest thing to do is just try to over-correct my swing during the wind.”

Ryann O’Toole is just a stroke behind the leaders after a 66, and Auston Kim is another shot back at 7 under, also shooting a 66. O’Toole expressed her comfort in the windy conditions, saying, “I felt very comfortable out there. I like windy conditions.”