THE COLONY, Texas — Charley Hull fought through cold and windy conditions to take the first-round lead Thursday in the LPGA Tour’s Volunteers of America Classic.

The 24-year-old Englishwoman shot a 3-under 69, making six birdies and three bogeys at Old American Golf Club with the afternoon temperature only climbing into the high 40s.

“I think I’m going to go to the supermarket and get a thick woolly coat,” Hull said.

She birdied Nos. 6 and 7 to reach 4 under, then bogeyed the par-4 eighth and closed the round with a par on the par-4 ninth.

“The golf course is playing so much different than it did last year,” Hull said. “It’s playing a lot longer, which I prefer. I struggled swinging the last two holes, I just got so cold. Along that lake you just get like freezing.”

Jessica Korda, Jennifer Kupcho and Pornanong Phatlum were a stroke back in the final event before the U.S. Women’s Open next week at Champions Golf Club in Houston.

“I’m just going to go warm up my toes because we lost feeling in them by like the second hole,” Korda said. “We did, all of us.”

She closed with a bogey.

“Honestly, I was just trying to stay warm,” Korda said. “It was just really tough trying to figure out the wind, cold, wind and the cold. But happy with 2 under.”

She also was thinking about a warm coat.

“I mean, I might not wear a parka, but I don’t know, we’ll see what it looks like,” Korda said. “Honestly, for me, the most important thing, being from Florida, I need to stay warm.”

Texan Brittany Lang was at 70 with fellow area resident Gerina Piller, Anna Nordqvist, Megan Khang and Ally Ewing.

“I usually don’t feel that good in cold weather, but since I’m staying at home I have so much warm stuff,” Lang said. “I feel like I was so prepared for the weather. I played great, but I have all my heat packs and I have my fleece and everything. I just felt like I really wasn’t that cold, which was key.”

Jin Young Ko, the No. 1 player in women’s golf, opened with a 70. She tied for 34th two weeks ago in her first LPGA Tour event of the year.

Defending champion Cheyenne Knight also shot 70.

So Yeon Ryu opened with a 72 in her first U.S. event on the LPGA Tour since the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship last year.

Jeongeun Lee6, the defending Women’s Open champion, had a 73.

Amateur Tillie Claggett of Calgary shot 83 — she is the sole Canadian playing in the event, and this is her first professional tournament.

BELLEAIR, Fla. — Sei Young Kim won the Pelican Women’s Championship on Sunday for her second straight victory, closing with an even-par 70 for a three-stroke victory over Ally McDonald.

The KPMG Women’s PGA winner way back on Oct. 11 in her last start, the second-ranked Kim won for the 12th time on the LPGA Tour to break a tie for third on the South Korean victory list with Jiyai Shin, behind only Inbee Park (20) and Se Ri Pak (25).

Smiths Falls, Ont. native Brooke Henderson finished in a four-way tie for sixth place after a 1-under 69 in her final round.

Henderson ended the tournament seven strokes behind Kim. It’s the third consecutive tournament where the 23-year-old has finished in sixth and her fourth straight top-10 finish.

The only fellow Canadian on the course was Alena Sharp of Hamilton, On., who shot a 72 today and tied for 27th.

Kim was drenched in champagne during the victory celebration.

“My friends put it on my head and then my T-shirt and everything,” Kim said. “Feel like take a shower in the champagne. I still smell. And then drink a little bit and feel — feels, you know, like little drunk.”

The 27-year-old Kim is the first player to follow her first major victory with a win in her next start since Ariya Jutanugarn in 2016 in the Women’s British Open and CP Women’s Open.

“Always after win always got the extra confidence, so when I play, standing on the golf course, it feels very happy when I walk on the course,” said Kim, also a five-time KLPGA winner. “It’s really great.”

Kim finished at 14-under 266 at Pelican Golf Club in the first-year tournament originally set for the same week as the PGA Championship in May. After her victory last month at Aronimink in Pennsylvania, she took a trip home to South Korea during the long break.

“After the tournament I just want to relax and then feel fresh, make myself feel fresh, so don’t think about golf,” Kim said. “Just fun thing to do.”

McDonald birdied the last for a 68. She was coming a victory in the Drive On Championship-Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia, her first on the tour.

“I’m really happy with how I played,” McDonald said. “I hung in there. … So I’m really pleased. Obviously, following a win to get another second and be in contention, that’s all I can ask for.”

Stephanie Meadow was third at 9 under after a 69.

Lydia Ko (69) and Austin Ernst ( 68) were 8 under, and Brooke Henderson (69) was another stroke back with Jessica Korda (64), Angela Stanford (65) and Jennifer Song (65).

Top-ranked Jin Young Ko tied for 34th at 3 over after a 71 in her first LPGA Tour event of the year. No. 1 in the world for the last 68 weeks, she was home in South Korea since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kim is close to taking the top spot.

“It means a lot because world ranking No. 1 is my wish list in this year, so that’s my biggest goal in this year,” Kim said. “Before Olympic gold medal was my biggest goal in this year, but it cancel. Might be next year.”

BELLEAIR, Fla. — Sei Young Kim answered Ally McDonald’s ace with a late birdie run to open a five-stroke lead Saturday in the Pelican Women’s Championship, the South Korean’s first event since winning the KPMG Women’s PGA a month and half ago.

The second-ranked Kim shot a 6-under 64, birdieing Nos. 14-17, to get to 14-under 196 at Pelican Golf Club.

“She made a hole-in-one, we almost one-shot lead,” Kim said. “I got a little bit pressure, but I try to focus on my game.”

McDonald shot 68. She had the hole-in-one on the par-3 12th and birdied the par-5 14th to get close to Kim. The American dropped a stroke on the par-4 16th.

“It was playing like 115 front, 127 hole, and there was a little bit of downwind,” McDonald said. “So, I thought a 115 shot, just playing the front edge, would be enough to pitch it a few yards on and let it release.

“Honestly, this is kind of how my strategy works, was everything told me to look a couple paces right of it, so I did. That’s kind of my strategy, because I wasn’t looking at the hole, but then it went in.”

Kim’s victory last month at Aronimink was her 11th on the LPGA Tour and first major title.

“I feel like same, but when standing on the first tee, like announcer, `This is a major champion, Sei Young Kim.’ When I heard that, feels like, `Oh, yeah, I got that.”’

She left McDonald behind with the birdie spree.

“I just trying to keep push myself until the last hole,” Kim said. “Just keep pushing. I think that is way to make more birdies.”

McDonald struggled on the greens late.

“I felt like I played really solid during that stretch,” McDonald said. “I hit good shots. Just unfortunately, my speed got a little off, especially 16, 17, 18. For a little bit, I kind of lost my touch with the putter.”

Stephanie Meadow was third at 8 under after a 68 in the first-year tournament originally set for the same week as the PGA Championship in May

Lydia Ko (66) was 7 under, and Minjee Lee (67) and Austin Ernst (65) were 6 under.

Brooke Henderson is also 6 under and tied for fifth place going into Sunday’s game. The Smiths Falls, Ont., player fired a 66 today — her best round of the tournament.

“I feel like after you make the cut you’re feeling a little bit looser, and I think it’s a great day where you can really, well, make a move up the leaderboard and challenge the leaders. I was trying to do that today.”

Fellow Canadian Alena Sharp (Hamilton, Ont.,) shot a 71 and sits at even par, but is still within the top 20 players teeing off Sunday.

Top-ranked Jin Young Ko was tied for 28th at 2 over after a 69 in her first LPGA Tour event of the year. No. 1 in the world for the last 68 weeks, she has been home in South Korea since the COVID-19 pandemic. She plans to play three straight tournaments through the U.S. Women’s Open.

BELLEAIR, Fla. — Breakthrough winners in their last starts, Sei Young Kim and Ally McDonald were on top again Friday in the Pelican Women’s Championship.

The second-ranked Kim, making her first start since winning the KPMG Women’s PGA a month and half ago at Aronimink for her first major title, shot a 5-under 65 at Pelican Golf Club to take a one-stroke lead over McDonald into the weekend.

Not that Kim was paying attention to the leaderboard.

“Golf is compete with myself, I think,” Kim said. “If you see the leaderboard then I think I think about the other things. I just want to think about focus on myself and what I have to do.”

McDonald had a 66. She won her first LPGA Tour title late last month in the Drive On Championship-Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia in the tour’s last event.

“My ball-striking was just a little off yesterday, but managed to play really solid,” McDonald said. “I was able to strike it better today. Had a few more realistic looks for birdie. Overall, I just feel like I’m still rolling the ball really well, which gives me a lot of confidence and takes a little pressure off my ball-striking in general. Feel like I don’t have to hit had it really, really close.”

Kim had an 8-under 132 total in the first-year tournament originally set for the same week as the PGA Championship in May. The 11-time LPGA Tour winner birdied four of the first five holes and added another on the par-5 14th.

“It was a tough to make the chance to birdie on the back nine because pin position really tough,” Kim said. “Pins, most pins were right next to undulation, so if you miss the distance, it’ll come back, all the way back. I had three good up-and-downs. Bogey-free round It was really good play today.”

First-round lead Sophia Popov, the Women’s British Open winner at Royal Troon in August, was tied for third at 6 under with Stephanie Meadow. Popov followed an opening 64 with a 70, playing alongside McDonald and top-ranked Jim Young Ko.

“Ally had a good start, too,” Popov said. “When I started making a couple bogeys she was making birdies, and so I knew she was getting close to me. I think that also helped to push me.”

Meadow birdied four of her last five holes, finishing on the front nine, for a 65.

“My back nine was awesome,” Meadow said. “Played really solid. The front nine I hit barely any greens and made a ton of up-and-downs. Just kept my cool on my front nine, the back nine, and was able to make some birdies coming in, which was nice.”

Elizabeth Szokol was 5 under after a 66.

Lydia Ko had a 67 to join Minjee Lee (69) and Lindsey Weaver (68) at 3 under. Angela Stanford (68), Jennifer Song (70) and Robynn Ree (69) were 2 under.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., fired a 70 and is also 2 under.  Henderson is sitting in a tie for 9th place going into the weekend rounds. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp is one shot behind following a 1-under 71 and is tied for 14th.

Jin Young Ko was tied for 47th at 3 over after rounds of 72 and 71, in her first LPGA Tour start of the year. No. 1 in the world for the last 68 weeks, She has been home in South Korea since the COVID-19 pandemic. She plans to play three straight tournaments through the U.S. Women’s Open.

U.S. Women’s Open champion Jeongeun Lee6, also making her return to the LPGA Tour, was tied for 38th at 2 over, following an opening 73 with a 69. She last played the Women’s Australian Open in February before the tour began shutting down its Asia swing because of the pandemic.

BELLEAIR, Fla. — Women’s British Open winner Sophia Popov left top-ranked playing partner Jin Young Ko and everyone else behind Thursday in the Pelican Women’s Championship.

Popov shot a 6-under 64 in windy conditions to take a two-stroke lead over Ashleigh Buhai, with Ko eight shots behind after a 72 in her first LPGA Tour start of the year.

Popov was the surprise winner at Royal Troon in August.

“I think I’m playing with a different confidence level,” Popov said. “You know, the shots are there. I always had them I felt like. I think mentally I’ve never felt as freed up as I do now. I don’t know if that’s from winning the tournament or just overall just having more fun out here. Having obviously an exemption for the next couple years just frees up the swing a little bit, my mindset, I can be a little bit more aggressive, and I think I just took advantage of that.”

At the tricky Pelican Golf Club, the German birdied the last five holes for a front-nine 29, then cooled off on the back with two birdies and two bogeys — the last on the par-4 18th.

“I felt pretty confident coming into the round,” Popov said. “Honestly, probably didn’t see that many birdies on my front. I thought with the wind the course is playing really tough, and surprised myself a little on that front nine. Tried to keep it going, but think the other nine is definitely tough and so I’m happy with my score.”

Buhai birdied three of the last four holes.

“You just have to stay patient, hit to the big parts of the green,” the South African said. “I think in order to shoot a low score today, you got to have a hot putter, especially this afternoon. The greens firmed up a lot and it was difficult to get it close. That’s what I did. I made some good putts coming down. I hit it close on 17 and then holed a nice one on 18 for birdie.”

Ally McDonald, playing alongside Popov and Ko in an afternoon threesome, was at 67 with Women’s PGA champion Sei Young Kim, the No. 2 player in the world.

“Honestly, my ball striking wasn’t that great,” McDonald said. “I just felt like my timing was just a little bit off.”

McDonald won her first LPGA Tour title late month in the Drive On Championship-Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia.

Canadians Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp closed off their first round tied for 5th place after shooting 2-under 68.

“It’s definitely a tricky golf course,” Henderson said. “You got to be careful out there. It can kind of jump up and bite you if you’re not paying attention, and especially with how windy it was earlier today.”

Local favourite Brittany Lincicome and Jessica Korda shot 69.

“A lot of the holes it seemed like it was a left-to-right wind, which being a draw player was just really messing with my swing,” Lincicome said. “You have to miss it in the right spot, and I feel like I missed it in the wrong spot a few times.”

Lexi Thompson had a hole-in-one on the 162-yard third hole, her 12th of the day.

“Hit a full 9-iron and it was kind of flagged right off the face,” Thompson said. “I kind of went off a guy behind the green. He put his hands up. I couldn’t tell if it went in or not. But it’s a great feeling, even though there was only about ten people that saw it.”

She bogeyed three of the next four holes in a 70.

U.S. Women’s Open champion Jeongeun Lee6, also making her return to the LPGA Tour, had a double bogey and two bogeys in a 73. She last played the Women’s Australian Open in February before the tour began shutting down its Asia swing because of the pandemic.

The first-year tournament was originally to be held the same week as the PGA Championship in May.

GREENSBORO, Ga. — Ally McDonald gave herself a big birthday present Sunday, winning the LPGA Drive On Championship-Lake Reynolds Oconee for her first tour title.

The 28-year-old from Mississippi held off Danielle Kang by a stroke on the Great Waters Course, closing with a 3-under 69 for a 16-under 272 total. Kang birdied the par-5 18th for a 68.

“I’ve never doubted my ability, but I’ve definitely questioned whether I would be able to win out here,” McDonald said. “It’s really hard to win out here. So, I’ve just really hung in there and tried to stick to my process since Day 1. That was able to get me in the winner’s circle today. I’m really thankful.”

McDonald birdied the first three holes on the back nine, dropped a stroke on 14, birdied 16, bogeyed 17 and parred the par-5 18th. Kang birdied Nos. 12. 13 and 14 to pull within a stroke, but bogeyed the 15th.

“I’m not going to lie, it shook me up pretty bad,” McDonald said. “I had to gather myself and get my heart rate under control after I made bogey on 13 and Danielle went back to back on birdies on 13 and 14. I just told myself to calm down and do what I’ve been doing every single round, and that is just trying to execute my game plan, control what I can.”

Kang won back-to-back events in Ohio in the summer, leads the Race to CME Globe and, at No. 5 in the world, was the top-ranked player in the field.

“I knew from the start that Danielle was going to hang in there,” McDonald said. “You kind of go to match play mode and you think absolutely she’s going to put the pedal down. So I was just happy to hang in there and pull it out.”

McDonald’s parents watched her play during the weekend.

“It means the world to me, obviously, that they’re here,” McDonald said. “This is the closest golf tournament that we have. … Having them here was just amazing.”

Kang played through back spasms.

“I think I just need to take a few days off right now,” Kang said. “My back has went into a spasm few days ago. I call it wifi. It’s on strong right and left. So it was a little difficult this week to play with it. I think I’m very proud of how I played despite not having my full game, but Ally played wonderfully and it’s been a really great week.”

Bianca Pagdanganan of the Philippines was two strokes back after a 70. She was making her sixth LPGA Tour start of the year and seventh overall.

“Being at this level and just being able to compete with the greatest players, it’s so much fun,” Pagdanganan said. “I say this a lot, but I really do get to live my dream. If you told me a couple years ago that I would be playing on the LPGA Tour and in this position in my rookie year I probably wouldn’t believe you.”

Mina Harigae (67) and Carlota Ciganda (69) were 13 under, a stroke ahead of Ariya Jutanugarn (69) and Katherine Kirk (70).

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp, the only Canadian player in the field, finished off the weekend in 52nd at even par.

GREENSBORO, Ga. — Ally McDonald held onto the lead Saturday in the LPGA Drive On Championship-Lake Reynolds Oconee, shooting a 3-under 69 to take a one-stroke advantage into the final round.

Winless on the LPGA Tour, the 27-year-old from Mississippi had a 13-under 203 total on the Great Waters Course. Bianca Pagdanganan of the Philippines was second after a 69.

“I’m excited with the position I’m in,” McDonald said. “Mentally, I think I handled myself really well. Ready to take on tomorrow.”

Four strokes ahead of Pagdanganan with two holes to play, McDonald bogeyed the par-3 17th, while playing partner Pagdanganan closed with two birdies.

McDonald bogeyed the first hole and made a big mid-round run with five birdies in an eight-hole stretch.

“I played some really solid golf after I kind of settled in,” McDonald said. “Made a few bad swings towards the end of the round, but I’m not going to discredit how I really did settle in and played solid golf for most of my holes.”

Pagdanganan, a member of Arizona’s 2018 NCAA championship team after starting her college career at Gonzaga, is making her sixth LPGA Tour start of the year and seventh overall.

Danielle Kang was third at 11 under after a 70 in the event, added to the schedule because of the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down women’s golf for five months.

“I’m very frustrated today, but there was a lot of up-and-downs,” Kang said. “ But I think I handled the curve balls pretty well. Good to finish on a birdie.”

The tour returned with another Drive On tournament in Toledo, Ohio, in late July, with Kang winning that event and again the following week in Sylvania, Ohio. She leads the Race to CME Globe and, at No. 5 in the world, is the top-ranked player on the field,

“People out here are really supportive and they’ve been kind of boating or jet skiing from hole to hole,” Kang said. “That’s pretty cool and fun. They’re all here having fun, so that’s the whole point of it, for people to watch and have fun and be entertained. I’m glad they’re having a blast.”

Carlota Ciganda of Spain had a 68 to get to 10 under. Australia’s Katherine Kirk was 9 under after a 70. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (73) was tied for 24th at 4 under.

“Course is in amazing shape,” Kirk said. “I think maybe it was a little trickier to score today, like harder to make get it close and have a lot of birdie opportunities. Our group certainly kind of had some moments of struggles and moments of brilliance, but the golf course is fabulous.”

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. – Sei Young Kim lined up for the putt on the 18th hole that would seal her first LPGA major championship and somehow missed by inches. One member of the gallery – in this instance, roughly 75 officials, photographers and course stragglers – even said “she made it.”

Not quite.

The 27-year-old South Korean laughed off the rare misstep, tapped in the winner and shed the unwelcome label of winningest golfer on the tour without a major. Kim raised her arms “Rocky” style, hugged her caddie and, at last, was a major champion.

Kim chewed up Aronimink Golf Club in record style, shooting a 7-under 63 on Sunday to win the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. She was five strokes better than runner-up Inbee Park, never seriously challenged on the arduous course in suburban Philadelphia.

“I’m actually really hiding my tears at the moment,” she said, standing next to the trophy.

Her dominance was in plain sight. She finished at 14-under 266. Her final-round 63 tied a tournament record, and her 266 set the championship scoring record.

Kim, who earned her 11th LPGA victory, got the championship push rolling when she matched a tournament record with a 29 on the front nine on Friday. She never really slowed down.

About the only surprise Sunday came when her father appeared on a video chat toward the end of her press conference.

“See you soon,” Kim said with a smile and a wave.

She was, Park said, “really untouchable.”

Park, a three-time winner of this championship, shot a 5-under 65. Park won the Women’s PGA Championship in 2015 and Kim was in the first group of people on the course to celebrate with her.

Five years later, it was Kim’s time to hoist the trophy.

Kim, a 2016 Olympian, was runner-up at the 2015 Women’s PGA Championship and tied for second at the Evian Championship in 2018. Kim held the 54-hole lead at a major once, at the 2015 ANA Inspiration, where she finished in a tie for fourth.

She clinched the championship with a round to remember at Aronimink. Kim’s fifth birdie of the day at the par-3 14th gave her a four-shot lead over Park and put her at 12 under for the championship.

She earned $645,000 for the victory. Kim has at least one win in every LPGA Tour season since 2015.

“It was just so hard to believe that she never won a major before because it felt like she won a few,” Park said.

Nasa Hataoka and Carlota Ciganda tied for third at 7 under. Anna Nordqvist (4 under) and Canada’s Brooke Henderson (3 under) both played in Kim’s group and finished fifth and sixth.

Henderson, of Smiths Falls, Ont., won the event in 2016. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp tied for 48th place.

Kim is the latest addition to a growing list of first-time major winners in recent years, a sign of growing parity. Her victory means nine of the last 10 major champions had never won one before. She joins Sophia Popov (Women’s British Open) and Mirim Lee (ANA Inspiration) as this year’s major champions.

Kim dazzled at another event without the roar of the galleries — though Toronto Raptors star Kyle Lowry walked the course — and held off a hard-charging Park. Park had three birdies on the front nine as she tried to match Mickey Wright with a record fourth win at the Women’s PGA Championship.

“I thought 65 will definitely do it,” Park said. “I was thinking maybe like 5 to 6 under is a good number to kind of post and just see what happens. But obviously Sei Young was just much better than anyone else out there today.”

As she approached 18, the trophy sitting out near the hole for her to see, pretty much everyone out at Aronimink lined the ropes. She got a big ovation after her tap-in sealed the win.

Kim waved to the crowd and was doused in champagne as she walked off the course.

With Paul Fusco on the bag, Kim matched a tournament record with a 29 on the front nine on Friday and shot a 32 for the front nine on Sunday. Fusco kept it loose, even walking over to compliment a reporter for a story (“really cool”) before Kim teed off on No. 8.

“Before I came to the U.S., I actually saw Paul, and I saw how he prepared for each tournament, and I told myself I want to have him on my bag,” Kim said.

Kim hit the putt of her life last November at Tiburon Golf Club, a 25-foot birdie on the final hole of the CME Group Tour Championship to win $1.5 million, the richest prize in the history of women’s golf.

The money is far less at Aronimink – but the prestige of winning a major means so much more.

“I won’t lie, I did feel the pressure starting last night,” Kim said. “I actually arrived about 30 minutes later than I normally do at the golf course. I really tried to stay composed during the tournament, during the round, and I’m happy that I got it done.”

The tournament was delayed three months because of the coronavirus pandemic, landing its final round smack on a packed sports Sunday. The PGA of America had to get creative with the tee times with NBC having other programming commitments on the weekend and the leaders – including Kim – teed off at 8:49 a.m.

Founded in 1896, Aronimink has hosted a number of significant golf events during its storied history, including the 1962 PGA Championship won by Gary Player. Aronimink’s golf course was designed by Donald Ross in 1926 and is off the major schedule until the PGA Championship in 2026.

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. – Sei Young Kim has yet to splurge on the $1.5 million she won last year in the richest prize offered at a tournament in women’s golf.

“I’m just saving up for the future,” she said.

Winning the first major of her career just might be priceless. A 10-time LPGA Tour winner, the 27-year-old South Korean has the unwanted title of winningest active player without a major championship.

Kim went on another streaky run of birdies Saturday at Aronimink, shooting a 3-under 67 to hold the lead and positioning herself to put that label to rest at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Kim sits at 7-under 203, two strokes ahead of Canada’s Brooke Henderson and Anna Nordqvist, and will try to win it Sunday on a rare early-morning tee time.

“I wouldn’t say I’m nervous, but I’m also excited about going into the final day,” Kim said.

The tournament was delayed three months because of the coronavirus pandemic, landing its final round smack on a packed sports Sunday. The PGA of America had to get creative with the tee times with NBC having other programming commitments on the weekend. Kim, Henderson and Nordqvist tee off at 8:49 a.m. and the last group goes off at 9:16 a.m. The TV window is noon to 2 p.m. on NBC.

“The only thing I have to keep in mind is that earlier tee times will be a little chillier temperaturewise, so I’ll make sure I have my hand warmers and be ready to play tomorrow,” Kim said.

Kim was runner-up at the 2015 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and tied for second at the Evian Championship in 2018. Kim held the 54-hole lead at a major once, at the 2015 ANA Inspiration, where she finished tied for fourth.

The last four winners of the tournament either led or co-led after 36 holes, and Kim played like a golfer poised to make it five.

Henderson, the Smiths Falls, Ont., native who won the 2016 Women’s PGA Championship, tied her career-best 18-hole score at a major championship with a 65 to stay within striking distance. Henderson had five birdies for a bogey-free round.

“Sometimes it’s hard to believe that I’m a major champion,” Henderson said. “But definitely in times like this it gives me a little bit of confidence, and I’m excited to try to do it again tomorrow.”

Throwing ? pic.twitter.com/UkvsLISP8I

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) October 10, 2020

Nordqvist, who had five birdies and three bogeys, shot a 5-under 68 as she tries to win her third major championship.

Inbee Park is three strokes behind the leader and Bianca Pagdanganan shot a 65 for the second straight day to rally her way into fifth at 3 under. Pagdanganan hasn’t had a bogey since the first round.

Park is a three-time winner of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and would tie Mickey Wright for the most in a career with a win.

“I’d be lying if I said I don’t think about it, but it’s just too crazy to think something big like that, in the history of golf, history of this championship, is going to maybe have a slim chance of happening to me,” Park said.

It’s not happening to an underdog. There’s a four-way tie for sixth place on a leaderboard stacked with the top talent on the tour.

Kim matched a tournament record with a 29 on the front nine on Friday and followed that with a 32 on Saturday.

Kim bogeyed the 18th hole for one of her few missteps of the last two rounds. She impressed on No. 16, nearly making an eagle but using a short putt for birdie. She also birdied No. 15, holing a long putt to go 7 under.

“I feel like I’ve made a few nice mid-range putts, which helped me get the momentum,” she said.

Kim hit the putt of her life last November at Tiburon Golf Club, a 25-foot birdie on the final hole of the CME Group Tour Championship to win $1.5 million, the richest prize in the history of women’s golf.

“If I knew the answer to how to make clutch putts, I would have won so many more times,” Kim said.

The money is far less at Aronimink — the field is competing for a $4.3 million purse with the winner earning $645,000. But it pales to the prestige that goes with winning an LPGA major.

Just ask Nordqvist, the 2009 champ.

“It’s something that no one can take away from me, and it’s obviously one of my most proud moments as a pro,” she said. “It’s just a great feeling knowing that my name is on the trophy.”

She wants to put her name on it again, and so does Henderson. Standing in their way: the South Korean, with one big check, determined to leave Aronimink a major champion.

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. – Sei Young Kim ignored the manually operated leaderboards dotted around Aronimink as she started to rally her way into contention.

“I was in a good momentum, so I just wanted to ride on that,” Kim said.

By the time she finished sinking birdie after birdie en route toward matching a record round, Kim could afford a peek at the board: Her name was on top.

Kim birdied five of the final six holes as darkness fell Friday at Aronimink for a 5-under 65 and the second-round lead in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

The 27-year-old South Korean closed with a 6-under 29 on the front nine. She dropped early strokes on Nos. 11 and 12 and made her lone first-nine birdie on the par-5 16th.

“When we entered the front nine, the wind kind of slowed down and it was kind of easier to attack with my irons,” she said.

Kim had a 4-under 136 total at rugged 6,437-yard Aronimink. She tied Karrie Webb (2001) and Sarah Kemp (2011) for the lowest nine-hole score in the Women’s PGA Championship.

“The birdie on 14 was pretty good because it was a long birdie putt, and that’s when I started the four-birdie streak,” Kim said. “So I think that really helped me with momentum and finishing strong.”

A 10-time LPGA Tour winner, Kim is looking for her first major victory. She was runner-up at the 2015 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and tied for second at the Evian Championship in 2018.

The last four winners of the tournament either led or co-led after 36 holes.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., fired a 69 to get back to even par heading into the weekend, while Hamilton’s Alena Sharp shot a 74 and is 4 over, good enough to make the 6-over cut line. Henderson won the tournament in 2016.

Jennifer Kupcho (65), Danielle Kang (69), Carlota Ciganda (69) and Anna Nordqvist (68) were a stroke back.

Kupcho was second last weekend in the ShopRite LPGA Classic and said a run at the championship left her exhausted.

The 23-year-old Kupcho hit all 18 greens in regulation.

Kupcho — winner of the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur — has yet to transfer the success of her celebrated collegiate career over to the LPGA Tour. She was the No. 1 ranked amateur at Wake Forest and won the 2018 NCAA Division I Golf Championship. At majors, she failed to make the cut four times, including at the last two Women’s British Opens.

At Aronimink, Kupcho went back to what worked for her in college. She decided to use the Ping i210 irons she played with as an amateur after a talk with her parents.

Kupcho, who also brought on a new caddie in Kyle Alexander, played each nine at Aronimink only once leading into the tournament and found the unfamiliarity with the sloped greens may have worked to her advantage.

“Going into last week, I was not prepared, like I felt completely unprepared,” she said. “I felt the same way coming into this week. I didn’t feel like I was ready to come play this type of a golf course. I think not being prepared brings another challenge for me, and I think that’s what helps me play well.”

Kang, the 2017 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner, also is in the hunt for her second career major. If she gets it, it will come on one of the tougher courses this season on the tour.

Kang visualized she was in a putting contest with her brother in a bid to loosen up and steady her short game, and promptly sank a 15-footer to close out the 12th hole.

“There is no right shot, but there are wrong misses,” she said. “That creates that opportunity of really tough up-and-downs. A couple times I hit a really good shot and I got penalized for hitting a good shot, but I just didn’t think far enough to not hit it there.”

Ciganda, a 30-year-old Spaniard, suffered through a lengthy bout of COVID-19 earlier this year that left her quarantined in her Arizona apartment for at least a month. She said at least three tests over that span came back positive and she needed at least another month and a half after her first negative to truly start to feel completely healthy. A two-time winner on the LPGA Tour, Ciganda suffered from memory issues, fatigue and weight loss during her ordeal.

“I’m happy that I’m playing again and feeling pretty good again,” she said.

Nelly Korda, the No. 2-ranked player in the world, dropped out with a back injury after she shot a 71 in the opening round. ANA Inspiration winner Mirim Lee also withdrew because of an injury.

Su Oh, at 5 over at the time, had perhaps the shot of the day on 16 when she lofted one out of the green-side bunker and sank the first eagle of the tournament.

There are only 13 players under par through the second round.