Kim Hyo-joo hits an iron shot on the 14th hole. [AFP]
Kim Hyo-joo hits an iron shot on the 14th hole. [AFP]

The South Korean pair of Kim Hyo-joo and Choi Hye-jin moved into a tie for fourth place at the Dow Championship, the LPGA Tour's only team event, which carries a $3.3 million purse.

Playing a four-ball round at Midland Country Club (par 70) in Midland, Michigan, on Friday, Kim and Choi carded a combined 8-under-par 62 to reach 9-under 131 for the tournament, joining Japan's Iwai Akae-Chiji and Sweden's Linn Grant and Maja Stark in a share of fourth.

The event features 72 two-player teams competing over 72 holes of stroke play, with the format alternating by round. The first and third rounds use a foursomes format, in which partners alternate hitting the same ball, while the second and fourth rounds use four-ball, with each player completing the hole and the better score counting for the team.

Fellow Korean pair Kim A-rim and Yoon I-na shot a combined 5-under 65 to reach 8-under 132, tying for eighth alongside Americans Allison Lee and Lilia Vu.

Norway's Celine Borge and Germany's Polly Mack lead the field after combining for a 10-under 60 on Friday. Their 36-hole total of 12-under 128 puts them one stroke ahead of Japan's Ayaka Furue and Yuna Nishimura in second place.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda of the United States, paired with Germany's Olivia Cowan, also fired a 10-under 60 to vault into sole third place at 10-under 130.

Defending champions Lee So-mi and Lim Jin-hee combined for a 6-under 64 to sit at 6-under 134, tied for 10th alongside Ko Jin-young and Japan's Nasa Hataoka.


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