It would be great if all golfers could play as happily as Christina Kim has done for the past three rounds of the Sybase Classic. Kim led in round one. She then tied for second place in second round action remaining just one stroke off of Creamer’s lead. With eleven straight pars two birdies and a solo bogey Kim finished her round with a 1-under 70, a score good enough to topple second round leader Paula Creamer by one stroke. Gloria Park and Joo Mi Kim are challenging with Creamer, but it’s Kim who has been looking the most comfortable this week making pars even when she’s in trouble. If Kim can hang on and win the final round tomorrow she will grab her second trophy on the LPGA tour. When asked what score she had in mind for her final round Kim laughed, “Fifty-four. I’m pretty sure I’d walk off with that.”
This is Christina Kim’s third year on the LPGA tour. Kim won her way into the LPGA by qualifying second on the 2002 Futures Tour money list. She’s a real character on tour. Her emotions come out which is unexpected for a tour player. She laughs, has fun and wears colorful clothing and her competitors enjoy playing golf alongside of her even when they aren’t scoring well.
The only time Kim blipped was on the par-3 4th where she made bogey after three-putting from forty feet. A 10-foot birdie was dropped in the hole on the par-4 8th.
On the par-5 15th Christina hit a towering 280-yard drive leaving her just 152 yards to the pin. Although her approach iron was hit fat (what a waste of a great tee shot!) she managed to par the hole. The 16th left her a simple approach shot with a pitching wedge out of the rough. Even though the lie wasn’t very good, Kim managed to spin it back on the green again securing par. Aggressiveness on the green allowed Kim a slew of four-footers to take the lead.
Creamer entered the clubhouse tied with tour rookie Joo Mi Kim and Gloria Park with a 5-under par 208. All three will have a terrific opportunity tomorrow to close with a win at the beautiful Wykagyl Country Club course. Creamer is the only player to have all three of her rounds in the 60’s this week.
Although playing an even round today Creamer had her difficulties. With four birdies and the same number of bogeys Paula had trouble both on and off the greens.
On the 12th Creamer landed in the sand in an awkward lie. She pitched her shot onto the green but it rolled off. Her fourth shot came within three feet of the pin and she bogeyed her way into the hole. The par-3 16th wasn’t much different. Creamer has birdied the hole during the two previous rounds but today she had to settle for par. Her first shot landed up against the thick primary rough. The next chip was hit a little heavy but she putted in. Her tee shot at 17 left her an obstructed view to the green. She made a thoughtful approach shot under the trees running the ball all the way to the green. A long birdie attempt slipped past the hole but she made the tricky putt for par. After playing in a final group for the first time Creamer stated, “I hit the ball terrible, but I think I got all the bad shots out for tomorrow. I was anxious all day about that.”.
Gloria Park has had two wins on the LPGA tour, her second coming at the 2002 Sybase Classic where she set the course record of 63. Playing with tendonitis of the wrist she pushed herself to keep playing even after a double-bogey at the par-3 4th. Park recovered on the par-4 6th with an eagle after holing out with a pitching wedge from 89 yards. Her round was up-and-down today making birdies at 10 and 11 but giving them back at 14 and 15.
A two-putt from 30 feet at the 18th allowed Joo Mi Kim to join Creamer and Park in the tie for second.
Heather Bowie (69) and Siew-Ai Lim (70) are in a tie for 5th place. Mi Hyun Kim (69) and Michele Redman (71) are one stroke behind in a tie for 7th position.
A notable shot for Redman came at the par-4 12th hole. Her drive went into the deep rough. She took out her trusty 7-wood and holed it from about 159 yards for an eagle. Although that terrific shot put her within three of the lead, Redman bogeyed the next hole and had pars on her remaining five holes.
Another unlikely “eagle” came from Erica Blasberg (70). At the 154-yard par-3 16th, the second most difficult hole on the course, Blasberg made a hole-in-one using her 5-iron and secured a new Mercury Mariner for three years. She almost made a hole-in-one in the second round. Prior to her ace on 16, Blasberg birdied 15, then aced 16 and birdied 17 to finish 2-over par today. Last week Blasberg was disqualified after carrying her scorecard back to the parking lot, not realizing she didn’t turn it in. After playing at the University of Arizona for two years Erica wants to become a full-time tour player. As Blasberg stated, “It’s time to take the next step”.
Grace Park (68) attempted to make her birdie at 18 for four consecutive birdies but could not convert.
Pos Player Today Tot R1 R2 R3 1 Christina Kim -1 -6 65 72 70 T2 Paula Creamer E -5 69 68 71 T2 Joo Mi Kim E -5 72 65 71 T2 Gloria Park E -5 67 70 71 T5 Heather Bowie -2 -4 69 71 69 T5 Siew-Ai Lim -1 -4 66 73 70 T7 Mi Hyun Kim -2 -3 69 72 69 T7 Michele Redman E -3 72 67 71 T9 Grace Park -3 -1 77 67 68 T9 Jeong Jang -1 -1 71 71 70 11 He-Won Han +3 E 67 72 74
Photo Credit: © AP.