SASO, ALTOMARE TIED FOR LEAD
KAPOLEI, Oahu — Fast finishes put Yuka Saso and Brittany Altomare at the top of the Lotte Championship leaderboard Wednesday morning with rounds of 8-under 64. No one caught them in ideal afternoon conditions at Kapolei Golf Club.
Fourth-ranked Nelly Korda came closest, shooting a 65 that left her tied with two-time major champion So Yeon Ryu and Ally Ewing, both of whom played in the morning. Stacy Lewis was two shots back on a day when 47 players shot in the 60s.
Jessica Korda, Nelly’s older sister, was part of a group at 67 that included the world’s topranked amateur, 17-year-old Rose Zhang. Lydia Ko also shot
67, coming off a record-tying final-round 62 to finish second in the year’s first major, the ANA Inspiration, two weeks ago.
Sixth-ranked Brooke Henderson, who won this event in 2018 and 2019 — last year’s tournament was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic — shot 68, as did No. 5
Danielle Kang.
Saso, a 19-year old from the Philippines, birdied five of her last six holes. She is playing on a sponsor’s exemption. The 2019 Girls Junior PGA Championship turned pro that November after earning her card on the Japan LPGA Tour, where she is currently third on the money list.
She called her first official round in Hawaii — “It’s like Philippines but colder than Philippines and windier than Philippines” — lucky.
“I made some good putts, had good up and downs, my driving was very consistent today,” Saso said. “I think, yeah, that made me lucky.”
Maui native Kyung Kim, an LPGA rookie, shot 69 in a bogey-free round.