Kim Sei-young takes 36-hole lead at LPGA tournament in Korea

Kim Sei-young of Korea tees off on the second hole during the second round of the BMW Ladies Championship at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, Friday. Courtesy of the tournament organizing committee

Kim Sei-young is taking a 36-hole lead into the weekend at the LPGA tournament in her native Korea.

Kim shot a six-under 66 in the second round on Friday to reach 16-under at the halfway point of the BMW Ladies Championship at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam, some 330 kilometers south of Seoul in South Jeolla Province. She is leading Brooke Matthews of the United States by one stroke.

Kim, born in the nearby town of Yeongam, made her first bogey of the tournament at the par-4 fourth hole but then picked up three straight birdies starting at the par-5 sixth. Kim then made four more birdies on the back nine.

The 32-year-old Kim is chasing her 13th career LPGA title and her first since November 2020.

Another Korean player, Kim Hyo-joo, is three strokes back of the leader after carding a four-under 68. She is tied for third with Rio Takeda of Japan.

Choi Hye-jin is the third Korean in the top 10 after shooting a 66 on Friday to get to 10-under for the tournament. She is in a five-way tie for sixth, a group that includes the defending champion, Minjee Lee.

There is no cut in this 72-hole tournament for 78 players in the field.

The BMW Ladies Championship is the only LPGA event held in Korea each year. After its launch in 2019, it has seen two Korean champions: Jang Hana in 2019 and Ko Jin-young in 2021.

The champion will take home $345,000 on Sunday.