LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Chan Kim eagled the par-4 fourth hole for the second straight day, this time with a 36-yard chip in a 2-under 68 that stretched his lead to five strokes Friday in the ISCO Championship.
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.
“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.”
Kim also holed a 35-foot birdie chip on the par-4 eighth to get to 11 under — with Kris Ventura (64) and Vince Whaley (67) and Thomas Rosenmueller (69) tied for second at 6 under.
“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.”
An eight time winner on the Japan Golf Tour, he's chasing his first PGA Tour title.
“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.”
The tournament winner will receive a two-year exemption and a PGA Championship spot next year. No one in the field is in the British Open next week. Harry Hall, the winner in a playoff last year at Keene Trace, qualified for the British Open and is playing the Scottish Open.
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 the par-5 seventh and holed the chip on No. 8.
“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.
David Skinns (64), was 5 under with Rico Hoey (67), Zac Blair (66), Kevin Kisner (69), Nick Hardy (68), Callum Tarren (68), Paul Peterson (68) and Beau Hossler (68).
Auburn junior Jackson Koivun was 1 under after a 66. He tied for 11th last week in the John Deere Classic.
Kentucky native J.B. Holmes missed the cut with rounds of 74 and 72. He played on a sponsor exemption.
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The Associated Press
