Ashleigh Buhai opened her 2025 LPGA Tour campaign on Thursday with a level-par 72 in the first round of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida.
That put her in a share of 17th in the field of 32 players, seven strokes off the lead. On top of the leaderboard, A Lim Kim of Korea made seven birdies her way to her opening 65. She opened up a four-stroke lead over her countrywoman Jin Young Ko and Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit.
It was a crowded leaderboard, with 10 players in a share of fourth on two-under-par. World number one Nelly Korda of the United States was one of three players one shot ahead of Buhai in a share of 14th on one-under-par.
The 29-year-old Kim, a two-time winner on tour including the US Women’s Open in 2020, birdied three of her final five holes at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club to separate herself from Tavatanakit and Jin Young Ko, who each shot 69.
“My shot is good. Putting it good. Everything is good. Cool,” Kim said. She has a home in Orlando but said she hadn’t been practicing much leading up to the season-opener. “In January I focus on my body, not practicing. But today really surprised, yeah,” she said.
