Kim back on top at ANA

South Korean’s confidence returns after 1-foot miss in 2012

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — Seven years after missing a 1-foot putt on the final hole of regulation and losing a playoff, In-Kyung Kim was back on top at the ANA Inspiration.

The 30-year-old South Korean shot a 7-under 65 in mostly calm morning conditions Friday at Mission Hills to take a three-stroke lead over Katherine Kirk into the weekend in the first major golf championship of the year.

“Every stage, every passage of life has meaning to it and serves some purpose to it,” Kim said. “I’m just here doing my best.”

In 2012, Kim missed the short par putt to fall into a playoff and lost when Sun Young Yoo birdied the first extra hole. Kim struggled with the loss before finally ending a long victory drought late in the 2016 season in China. Her confidence renewed, she won three times the following year, capped by a major victory in the Women’s British Open.

“Sometimes winning is great, but for me as an athlete, you want to see some progress in your game,” Kim said. “That’s what I’m focusing on at the moment. That gives me joy. Anything else really is just a bonus, an extra.”

On Friday on the tree-lined layout toughened by thick, dewy rough, tighter fairways and some longer holes, Kim birdied all four of the par-5 holes and played a ninehole stretch in the middle of the round in 6 under. After threeputting the par-4 seventh for her first bogey in 25 holes, she saved par on the par-3 eighth with an 8-footer and closed the round with an 8-foot birdie putt on the par-4 ninth to reach 8 under.

“I had makeable putts that went in,” Kim said. “Yesterday, I also had a lot of opportunities, but in the afternoon when the wind blows on the back nine you can’t really be too aggressive to the flag.”

She played alongside Hall of Famer Juli Inkster in the first two rounds.