South Korean rookie won her second LPGA Tour title in dramatic fashion in Hawaii
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., May 5, 2015 – Sei Young Kim delivered one of the most exhilarating finishes of the 2015 golf season with her playoff victory at the LOTTE Championship Presented by HERSHEY. With her chip-in/eagle finish, Kim won her second LPGA Tour title and earned the Kia Most Compelling Performance Award for the month of April.
TWEET IT! Sei Young Kim wins April #LPGAKiaAwards w/ dramatic victory in Hawaii @LPGALOTTE – Re-watch here: http://bit.ly/1EaO1QX
After hitting her tee shot in the water on the 72nd hole, it looked like Kim opened the door for competitor Inbee Park to settle for par and the win. But Kim’s chip-in off the greenside fringe from 18 feet forced the duo into a playoff.
At the 18th hole, a par 4, both players hit their tee shots down the middle of the fairway. Kim played first on their second shot and used one swing of her 8 iron from 154 yards for an eagle that Park could not match. The ball took two hops before nestling in the bottom of the cup, leaving Kim in a state of disbelief. After grasping the reality of her clutch feat, Kim took a champion’s walk to the cup and celebrated her second victory of the 2015 season.
The 22-year old improved her LPGA career playoff record to 2-0 after she won her first title at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic in February, defeating Sun Young Yoo and Ariya Jutanugarn in a one-hole playoff. Kim currently leads the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Race and ranks third on Tour in Rolex Player of the Year points, Official Money List, Race to the CME Globe, birdies and sub-par holes.
The 2015 Kia Most Compelling Performance Award winner will be announced at the season-ending 2015 CME Group Tour Championship following an online fan vote (fan voting begins October 1, 2015). Previous winners of the 2015 monthly awards were Lydia Ko for her win at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open in February and Cristie Kerr for her win at the Kia Classic in March.
Performances may include a single tournament, multiple tournaments, single-round accomplishments or record-breaking performances. Winners of all the 2015 Kia Performance Awards will receive an all-new 2016 Kia Sorento, Kia’s best-selling CUV.
- Kia Power Drive - Awarded to the player with the longest driving distance
- Kia Drive to the Top - Awarded to the player with the most top-10 finishes
- Kia Most Compelling Performance - Recognizes a player with an exceptional performance throughout the year; this award will be awarded monthly then the year-end winner will be chosen by fans through an online vote
- Kia Community Assist - Recognizing a player who makes exceptional contributions to charity organizations or community programs
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