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Kim shines in gusty wind conditions at HSBC Women’s World Championship

A Lim Kim of South Korea. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)

A Lim Kim set the pace at the HSBC Women’s World Championship, carding a solid 4-under-par round to post the day’s lowest score, posting five birdies against one bogey. Battling gusty winds at Sentosa Golf Club, the Korean showcased her precision on the greens and resilience in challenging conditions.

“It was great because I had a really strong short game, and my putting was on point,” Kim shared. “The wind made things very difficult, but everyone faced the same situation. Tomorrow, I’m going to work even harder.”

The swirling winds proved tricky to navigate, forcing players to adjust constantly. Kim acknowledged the challenge, admitting, “The wind was inconsistent, making it tough to read, but I have three more rounds to learn and adapt.”

Coming off a different playing environment the previous week, Kim highlighted the stark contrast in course conditions. “The greens, the grass, the reads—everything is completely different this week. The weather may be similar, but the playing conditions are totally new.”

Kim, who secured an early-season victory (Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions), has made significant changes to her game. “I’ve adjusted a lot. I used to play a draw, but now I’m focusing on a fade and working on shots inside 130 yards, especially putts within six yards. That has made a big difference.”

While she enjoys playing in steady winds, she admitted that unpredictable gusts posed a different challenge. “I love consistent, strong wind, but swirling wind is very, very difficult for me.”

Reflecting on the lower-than-expected scores across the field, Kim attributed the tough conditions to the unpredictable breeze. “Everybody is dealing with the same challenges. We can’t control the wind, we can’t control the situation—we’re not AI.”

Despite her strong start to the season, Kim remains focused on the process rather than the results. “Winning the first event was important, but I just focused on my work. The result is not in my control. All I can do is keep refining my process.”

Kim holds a slim one-shot advantage over England’s Charley Hull, who sits at 3-under 69.

Charley Hull of England

Hull, who also navigated the tricky conditions to post a strong opening round, credited her solid performance to a good night’s sleep and staying composed in the strong winds.

“I just felt like I played pretty solid,” Hull said. “It was a lot cooler today, and even though it was windy, I managed it well. I quite enjoyed it—it was really fun out there.”

Given the firm greens and challenging wind conditions, Hull emphasised the importance of strategic play. “You have to judge your yardage very well. The greens are firm, so sometimes you have to accept hitting 30 feet away from the pin.”

Despite the challenges, Hull remained unfazed by the wind. “Not too badly. It was good. I quite enjoyed it,” she said. “My boyfriend told me to try and be inside the top five after the first day to make him happy, so I was just trying to climb the leaderboard all the way around.”

Overall, Hull is keeping things simple. “The next three days, I’m just going to go out there, have fun, make birdies, and stay cool.”

Known for her love of tough conditions, Hull believes her game thrives in challenging setups. “Just dig deep and stay patient with yourself. I got a few longer irons in, and that plays into my strengths since I’m a good long iron player.”

Close behind, four players share third place at 2-under 70, including Australia’s Minjee Lee, China’s Ruoning Yin, Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi, and Mexico’s Gaby Lopez, all within striking distance heading into the next round.

Gaby Lopez embraced the tough conditions, stating that she thrives when the course demands discipline and strategic shot-making. “The conditions were tough, lots of wind. I love how tough it can get. It makes you stay in the present, and yeah, you’ve got to be very disciplined, as well,” she said.

Minjee Lee of Australia. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)

Minjee Lee cited the winds as a major factor in the round, making ball-striking and club selection crucial.

“I think I scrambled really well today. Made a bunch of birdies and a bunch of bogeys, as well. Hopefully, I can get more consistent scoring in the next few days.”

Yin, familiar with playing in windy conditions from her hometown of Shanghai, felt she had a solid round but saw room for improvement, particularly in reducing mistakes.

“I think it’s pretty windy today, and the course is trickier with the wind. But overall, I played pretty solid today. But I just have a couple of mistakes that happened. But overall, it’s a pretty solid round.”

Hye-Jin Choi, who finished near the top of the leaderboard, found the conditions tricky but fought through tough holes to stay in contention.

“It was a little bit windy today, and then greens were difficult because some pins were really different. That’s why I think it was hard today.”

This year’s line-up also includes 19 major champions, 46 LPGA winners with a combined total of 174 titles, 21 Solheim Cup players with 45 appearances, six former world No.1s, and for the first time two Singaporean players.

Of the 16 editions, 14 have been won by major champions, a testament to the golfers’ claim that this is ‘Asia’s Major’. The 2024 field featured a diverse field, with players from 22 nationalities, including 20 Major champions and 8 of the world’s top 10.

The 72-hole stroke play tournament will once again be played on The Tanjong Course at Sentosa Golf Club, which hosts its 12th edition of the tournament.


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