Kyung Kim left Maui with her family at age 12 and it would be some 14 years before her golf career circled back to the islands.
Kim moved to Arizona before high school and went on to play college golf at USC. She returned to Hawaii for the first time this week and opened her rookie season on the LPGA Tour by carding a bogey-free 3 under par 69 in the first round of the Lotte Championship at Kapolei Golf Club.
“It’s great to start off my first tournament as a rookie in Hawaii. Just brings back so many memories and I get to see a lot of good friends and family,” Kim said.
Although she hadn’t played in Hawaii since her junior golf days, she had some local knowledge working for her with Tyler Ota, a five-time Hawaii State Golf Association Player of the Year, as her caddie.
They connected through a mutual friend in Kacie Komoto, the 2012 Hawaii high school state champion at Punahou, and Ota helped Kim navigate the winds to stay steady throughout the day.
“She made a lot of crucial putts on the back nine,” said Ota, who turned pro shortly after playing in the 2020 Sony Open in Hawaii. “She’s a really good ball striker and it’s a ball striker’s paradise out here. The conditions are so good in the fairway and she hits it straight, and she’s good enough to get it up and down from anywhere.”
Kim birdied three of the four par-5s, starting at No. 1, and drained a par putt on No. 18 maintain her momentum heading into her 1:34 p.m. tee time today.
Former champs
Sei Young Kim, the 2015 champion, shot 67 Wednesday morning. She was 5 under for the first eight holes before cooling off and playing par the rest of the way.
Minjee Lee (2016) was 1 under par at 71.
Cristie Kerr (2017) finished her first round 1-over 73.
Michelle Wie West (2014) did not enter her hometown LPGA stop. Ai Miyazato (2012) and Suzann Pettersen (2013) are retired.
Different venue
Before last year’s cancellation due to COVID-19, the first seven years of this tournament were played at Ko Olina Golf Club.
The LPGA did not disclose a reason for the switch. Kapolei hosted the LPGA Hawaiian Open from 1996 to 2001.
Tadd sighting
Brianna Do shot 4-under 68 with Tadd Fujikawa on her bag. Yes, the same Tadd Fujikawa who took the golf world by storm briefly as a teenager 14 years ago. In 2007, Fujikawa, a Moanalua High School student who had just turned 16, shot 66 in the second round of The Sony Open in Hawaii and finished 20th.
“I was like, Done. It’s a no-brainer,” Do said, when told Fujikawa wanted to caddie. “Your home course. You’re one of the best golfers on the island. So like why would I not take him? So glad it worked out.”
Fujikawa said Do heeded his advice.
“It’s good because she hits it where I tell her to hit it most of the time, and especially with the driver,” he said. “I mean, she hit the driver great today. You know, I think she missed one fairway.”
Unlucky 6
Jeongeun Lee6 added the number to her last name because she was the sixth Jeongeun Lee to play on the Korean LPGA tour. Her fans embraced the unique moniker, calling her “Lucky 6.” But 6 was an unfortunate number for her Wednesday; she shot a double-bogey 6 on her first hole of the day. Lee6 did battle back to 3-under for the round though, including a strong finish with birdies on her last two holes.
