Mi Hyang Lee has a one-shot lead going into the weekend at the Blue Bay LPGA, overcoming windy conditions to play a bogey-free round on Friday at Hainan Island, China.
The South Korean posted a 6-under 66 at the notoriously breezy Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course as she chases her first LPGA title since winning the 2017 Women’s Scottish Open.
“Wind is blowing more than I expected this morning, but still better than yesterday afternoon,” Lee told reporters. “Pretty similar the direction as well, so it wasn’t that hard to play for me I think.”
Though the wind didn’t prevent Lee from making birdies on three of the four par 5s and wasn’t as strong as in the first round, it was a factor.
“This golf course is a lot different, depends on wind for sure,” Lee said. “That’s why I need to play smarter. Also I think No. 5, like left dogleg, if into the wind I cannot carry the left bunker; if no wind, carry the bunker. That’s almost five clubs difference so that’s huge difference, that hole.”
Lee sits at 11-under 133 after two rounds, one shot ahead of former Duke player Yu Liu, who is looking to become only the second Chinese player to win the tournament since its inception in 2014.
Liu sprinkled eight birdies and two bogeys on her way to a 6-under-66.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a flawless round, especially out here. It’s inevitable to make mistakes,” Liu said. “I’m very happy about the score that I turned in and also the way that I handled myself out there. I feel like once you’re out there on the course there is no other choice but to trust the game.”
Auston Kim of the United States made eagle on the par-5 eighth hole and made her only bogey on the ninth before settling for pars until a birdie on the par-5 18th.
“A little frustrating but managed to finish with a good birdie so overall … it was a good round,” said Kim, who is looking for her first LPGA title. “It got really windy out there so like I knew that — I just knew to stay strong and hit good shots and I would be fine.”
Kim shot 68 to finish two strokes behind Lee for third in the standings.
A Lim Kim (67) of South Korea, Ayaka Furue (69) and Weiwei Zhang (71) of China are tied for fourth at 7-under 137 and four strokes off the lead.
