Russian-born Nataliya Guseva shares four-way lead at Lotte Championship

HONOLULU — Nataliya Guseva of Russia shot a 5-under 67 on Thursday for a share of the second-round lead in the Lotte Championship with A Lim Kim, Ruixin Liu and Yuri Yoshida.

Guseva holed out from 120 yards for eagle on the par-4 seventh and had four birdies and a bogey in her afternoon round to reach 9-under 135 at breezy Hoakalei Country Club.

“I was really trying to be in the present because it was super windy,” the 21-year-old former University of Miami player said. “I was like, ‘It could be like anything could happen today. I could shoot a great round and not even make the cut.’”

Kim, the first-round leader, bogeyed her final two holes late in the afternoon for a 69.

Kim is No. 65 in the Race to CME Globe, and only has two tournaments left to crack the top 60 and earn a spot in the season finale that pays $4 million to the winner. She won the U.S. Women’s Open in December 2020 for her lone LPGA Tour title.

“Today feel like a little change the wind every time, every single hole,” Kim said. “So, some hole made mistake and some hole I think it’s great. So, that’s golf.”

Yoshida shot 67, and Liu 68.

“I played well in very windy today,” Yoshida said.

Liu closed with a birdie on the par-3 ninth.

“I feel pretty satisfied today, especially playing the afternoon with the strong wind,” Liu said. “I’m able to stay patient and not overthinking because the easiest thing to do is just try to over-correct my swing during the wind.”

Ryann O’Toole was a stroke back after a 66.

“I felt very comfortable out there,” O’Toole said. “I like windy conditions.”

Auston Kim was another shot behind at 7 under, also shooting 66.