MENLO PARK, Calif. — Hyo Joo Kim played the first six holes in 6 under before stalling Saturday at tree-lined Sharon Heights, leaving her with a five-stroke lead over Nelly Korda with a round left in the Fortinet Founders Cup.
Kim, the 30-year-old South Korean player ranked eighth in the world, shot a 6-under 66 to get to 17-under 199. She won the tournament in 2015 in Phoenix for the second of her seven LPGA Tour titles.
“I’ve been in the lead, so I want to finish tomorrow well,” Kim said.
Four shots ahead entering the day, she had four birdies and an eagle on the par-5 fifth in the opening burst that ended with a bogey on the par-5 seventh.
“The start up to hole 6, I believe, was unbelievable golf and I can’t even believe it,” Kim said. “I had a lot of birdies and eagle, too. But I did also have some bogeys I shouldn’t have done. The start felt like almost a game.”
Kim opened the back nine birdie-bogey-bogey-birdie, then birdied the par-4 16th to get back to 17 under. She left a 15-foot birdie try a foot short on the par-3 17th and parred the par-5 18th after driving into the left rough.
Korda birdied 16 and 18 in a bogey-free 66. She skipped the Asia swing after winning the season opener in Florida.
“It’s nice to have a clean scorecard wherever you play,” Korda said. “Doesn’t matter. With kind of how tough it is off the tee and into the greens, just really happy with my round today.
On Thursday, Kim holed out for eagle on 8 for a 63 and a two-shot lead She pushed the advantage to four Friday with a 70. Coming off a third-place finish last month in Thailand, she’s the defending champion next week in Arizona.
Ruixin Liu of China and Gaby Lopez of Mexico were 11 under. Liu eagled the fifth in a 66. Lopez had a 68 playing alongside Kim.
Top-ranked Jeeno Thitikul (69) was 9 under with Erika Hara (67), Karis Davidson (69) and Hye-Jin Choi (69).
The tournament began as a tribute to the 13 founders of the LPGA. It began in Arizona in 2011 and last year was the second event of the season and played in Florida. It has attracted eight of the top 10 players in the world ranking and kicks off a four-tournament stretch in the West ahead of the first major of the year.
