Kim A-lim wins LPGA season opener for 3rd career title

Kim A Lim Wins Lpga Season Opener For 3rd Career Title

LPGA champion Kim A-lim, right, and Celebrity champion Joe Pavelski, left, holds the trophy after winning the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions LPGA golf tournament in Orlando, Fla., U.S., Feb. 2. AP-Yonhap

LPGA champion Kim A-lim, proper, and Superstar champion Joe Pavelski, left, holds the trophy after successful the Hilton Grand Holidays Event of Champions LPGA golf event in Orlando, Fla., U.S., Feb. 2. AP-Yonhap

Korea’s Kim A-lim has gone wire-to-wire to seize the LPGA season opener in Florida for her third profession title.

Kim received the Hilton Grand Holidays Event of Champions by two pictures over Nelly Korda of the US at Lake Nona Golf & Nation Membership in Orlando on Sunday (native time) at 20-under 268. Kim shot a five-under 67 within the last spherical and was the one participant to shoot within the 60s in all 4 rounds at this event.

Kim, 29, cashed within the winner’s verify of US$300,000.

The no-cut event featured 32 LPGA winners over the previous two seasons. Kim, who received the Lotte Championship in November 2024, led after every of the primary three rounds in Orlando after which held off Korda, world No. 1, for the victory.

„Right now, total the sport was good,“ Kim stated. „I believe what I used to be making an attempt to drag off at this time, I received it finished.“

Kim began the ultimate spherical at 15-under, three pictures forward of Linn Grant of Sweden. Lydia Ko of New Zealand, the defending champion, and Korda have been each lurking at 11-under after 54 holes.

Enjoying within the last group with Grant and Ko, Kim bogeyed the third gap however bounced again with birdies on the subsequent two holes.

With Grant caught in impartial and Ko taking herself out of competition with two bogeys over her first three holes, Korda made a cost on the entrance 9 and received to inside two strokes of Kim at one level.

The American star birdied 4 of her first six holes, together with three in a row beginning at No. 4. After going bogey-birdie to shut out the entrance 9, Korda made the flip at 14-under, three again of Kim, who additionally birdied the ninth gap.

Korda then reduce Kim’s result in two with a birdie on the eleventh. Australian star Minjee Lee additionally caught hearth Sunday. After making 4 birdies on the entrance 9, she collected 4 birdies and an eagle on her first six holes on the again 9, reaching 14-under to sit down simply three behind Kim.

LPGA winner Kim A-lim 'proud' of sticking with change

Kim birdied the eleventh to regain her three-shot lead over Korda at 18-under.

Then the event took a dramatic flip when Kim had a three-putt bogey on the twelfth and Korda birdied the thirteenth. The 2-shot swing slashed Kim’s result in only one shot.

Lee ran out of holes and completed at 14-under after taking pictures a bogey-free 62, leaving Kim and Korda to battle for the crown down the stretch.

Korda briefly pulled right into a tie with Kim with a birdie on the par-five fifteenth, solely to see Kim match that birdie on the identical gap minutes later.

Kim then drained a clutch birdie putt on the sixteenth to get to 19-under and go up by two once more with two to play.

Korda holed an extended birdie putt on the 18th gap to complete at 18-under, placing strain on Kim to seize at the very least a par on the ultimate gap to win the event in regulation.

Unfazed, Kim dialed in from lengthy distance for a ending birdie that sealed her two-stroke win.

Kim stated she watched the scoreboard and loved the competitors with Korda. However Kim additionally stated she stayed centered on her personal recreation.

LPGA champion Kim A-lim, right, reacts to the crowd after being announced as the winner of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions LPGA golf tournament in Orlando, Fla., U.S., Feb. 2. AP-Yonhap

LPGA champion Kim A-lim, proper, reacts to the gang after being introduced because the winner of the Hilton Grand Holidays Event of Champions LPGA golf event in Orlando, Fla., U.S., Feb. 2. AP-Yonhap

When requested if she was involved at any level that Korda was going to catch her, Kim replied, „I do not assume so, as a result of I felt actually good, and I nonetheless had extra likelihood (as a result of I used to be taking part in in a bunch behind her).“

4 different Koreans have been within the subject. Ko Jin-young tied for fourth at 14-under, whereas Kim Hyo-joo tied for tenth at eight-under.

Ryu Hae-ran shot five-under to complete tied for 14th, and Amy Yang tied for twenty second at one-under.

After Kim clinched the victory, Yang doused her countrywoman with water on the ultimate inexperienced, and the 2 shared a giant hug.

„She’s my hero,“ Kim stated of the 35-year-old Yang. „Once I was younger, I watched her on a regular basis. She helps me loads on a regular basis.“

In 2024, Kim was certainly one of solely three Korean winners within the LPGA, joined by Yang and Ryu. The three wins by Korean gamers have been the bottom whole for the nation on the LPGA Tour since 2011. (Yonhap)

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