On Thursday at Hurstbourne Country Club, Kim holed out from 123 yards on No. 4 and shot a 61 to take a four-shot lead in the opposite-field PGA Tour event also sanctioned by the European tour.<\/p>\n
“Obviously, the hole-out on 4 again,” Kim said. “I don’t know what the odds are of doing that, but boy, if I could make four 2s on that hole I’d be very happy.”<\/p>\n
Kim also holed a 35-foot birdie chip on the par-4 eighth to get to 11 under — with Kris Ventura<\/a> (64) and Vince Whaley<\/a> (67) and Thomas Rosenmueller<\/a> (69) tied for second at 6 under.<\/p>\n Editor’s Picks “I think this is a course where you just have to stay patient,” said Kim, the 35-year-old former Arizona State player who was born in South Korea and grew up in Hawaii. “I know I shot 9 under yesterday, but the course is not playing that easy.”<\/p>\n An eight-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour, he’s chasing his first PGA Tour title.<\/p>\n “Just keep my foot down.” Kim said. “I know that these guys are so good, somebody’s going to catch up. I already know that. The best I can do is handle myself the way I did when I won all those events and that’s just to stay patient and play my game.”<\/p>\n The tournament winner will receive a two-year exemption and a PGA Championship spot next year. No one in the field is in The Open next week. Harry Hall<\/a>, the winner in a playoff last year at Keene Trace, qualified for The Open and is playing the Scottish Open.<\/p>\n Kim opened with a birdie on the par-5 10th, then dropped strokes on the par-4 11th, 16th and first holes. He eagled the fourth after hitting a 333-yard drive just short of the green, birdied the par-5 seventh and holed the chip on No. 8.<\/p>\n “I think it’s very important to accept that when you do make a mistake, just accept it and go out there with full confidence and plan your next shot and see what you can do from there,” Kim said.<\/p>\n David Skinns<\/a> (64), was 5 under with Rico Hoey<\/a> (67), Zac Blair<\/a> (66), Kevin Kisner<\/a> (69), Nick Hardy<\/a> (68), Callum Tarren<\/a> (68), Paul Peterson<\/a> (68) and Beau Hossler<\/a> (68).<\/p>\n Auburn junior Jackson Koivun<\/a> was 1 under after a 66. He tied for 11th last week in the John Deere Classic.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1752292323_154_r1358600_2_1296x1296_1-1.jpg&w=130&h=130&scale=crop&location=center.jpeg\")
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