Kim edges clear at LPGA Tour Championship in Florida

Kim Sei-young conjured a late eagle to open up a two-shot lead after the first round of the LPGA Tour Championship in Florida on Thursday.The South Korean’s moment of magic came on the par-five 17th hole at Tiburon Golf Club, when she hit her approach to the edge of the green before draining a 12-foot putt for eagle.A par on the 18th gave Kim a seven-under-par 65, completing a flawless bogey-free round that also included five birdies.It left Kim as the early front-runner for what is the richest tournament in women’s golf, where the winner will pocket a record $1.5mn.Kim however said she is not thinking about the prospect of a record payday in what is the final event of 2019.“Even (though) this tournament really special, I just try to make myself comfortable,” Kim said when asked about the record purse.“I don’t put any extra pressure on myself.”Of more importance for Kim is the fact that a pre-season goal of winning three tournaments is still very much on track.The 26-year-old from Seoul won at the Mediheal Championship in California in May before taking the Marathon Classic in Ohio in July.“I set a goal at beginning of the year to win three tournaments,” Kim said. “If I win this tournament I will reach my goal, which is really nice.”Kim can expect a stiff challenge over the final three rounds, with a crowded field of contenders lurking just off the lead.Three players — Nelly Korda of the United States, England’s Georgia Hall and Korea’s Ryu So-yeon — carded five-under-par 67s to start.Hall, who like Kim eagled the 17th, might have joined the Korean at the top of the leaderboard had it not been for a disastrous double-bogey six on the 13th.Hall said she had been bothered by foot pain caused by a new pair of shoes, and needed treatment from a physio during her round.“For some reason they’re like really cutting into one of the bones in my foot, so I just got it taped up more than it already was,” Hall said later. “Still hurting, but it’s fine. I can cope with it.”Five players — Brooke Henderson, Lizette Salas, Caroline Masson, Marina Alex and Nanna Koerstz Madsen — are three shots off the lead after carding four-under-par 68s.World number one Ko Jin-Young finished the day six off the lead after a one-under-par 71.Leading first round scores65 — Kim Sei-young (KOR)67 — Nelly Korda (USA), Ryu So-yeon (KOR), Georgia Hall (ENG)68 — Brooke Henderson (CAN), Lizette Salas (USA), Caroline Masson (GER), Marina Alex (USA), Nanna Koerstz Madsen (DEN)69 — Danielle Kang (USA), Brittany Altomare (USA), Bronte Law (ENG), Su Oh (AUS), Chella Choi (KOR), Jenny Shin (KOR), Hsu Wei-ling (TPE)70 — Lexi Thompson (USA), Hur Mi-jung (KOR), Nasa Hataoka (JPN), Jessica Korda (USA), Megan Khang (USA)