Stephanie Meadow shot a two-under round of 70 to open the LPGA’s LOTTE Championship at Hoakalei Country Club in Hawaii, and the Jordanstown woman is tied for 36th and just five off the lead.
Seeking what would be just her third made cut in nine LPGA starts in 2026, Meadow carded four birdies and two bogeys in her round – two birdies and one bogey on each side – and the heavily-bunched leaderboard has her just two shots off a T10 placing after a wet and windy opening round.
Leona Maguire, starting round one on the back nine, found herself at +3 after 11 holes but managed to birdie three of her final seven – including one of the par-3 ninth – to claw her way back to level-par which is one shot outside the projected cutline. Lauren Walsh has further ground to make up after struggles on approach resulted in a two-over 74 that left her tied for 102nd.
A Lim Kim shot a seven-under 65 to take sole possession of the first-round lead.
The 2024 tournament winner, Kim birdied holes 15 through 17 and closed her bogey-free morning round with a par on the par-5 18th.
“Trajectory for control and then putting really important on this course because it is very windy,” Kim said. “And then today rain is back and forth, back and forth, so tough conditions. But it was really good play.”
The 30-year-old Kim has three LPGA Tour victories, also winning the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open and the 2025 Tournament of Champions.
In the afternoon, fellow South Korean player Ina Yoon pulled even with Kim at -7 with a birdie on the par-4 third hole — her 12th of the day — before dropping back with a bogey on the par-4 sixth. She parred the final three for a 66.
Yu Liu of China also shot 66, closing her late afternoon round with a birdie on the par-3 ninth.
Second-ranked Jeeno Thitikul is one further back at -5 with Polly Mack, Michelle Zhang, Auston Kim, Maja Stark and Chanettee Wannasaen.
“Annoying that we had rain, like two waits on rain,” Thitikul said after her morning round. “Especially we just had one before our last hole. But the good thing is it wasn’t taking that long.”
Hawaii native Allisen Corpuz shot 68 to share 10th at -4. She’s one of 11 players from the Solheim Cup in the field.
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