Wildfire Golf Club at JW Marriott Desert Ridge
Phoenix, Arizona
Final-Round Notes and Interviews
March 22, 2015
Pressure doesn’t seem to faze 19-year-old Hyo Joo Kim. At least that’s the way it seems after the LPGA Tour rookie delivered a masterful display in Sunday’s final round of the JTBC Founders Cup, shooting a 5-under 67 to defeat Stacy Lewis by three strokes and capture her second LPGA Tour win.
Kim burst onto the LPGA scene at last year’s Evian Championship. A member of the KLPGA at the time, Kim outdueled LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Karrie Webb as she sank a 12-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to defeat Webb by one and capture her first LPGA win and her first major championship. It was also the first major championship that Kim had ever competed in on the LPGA Tour.
On Sunday, Kim was paired in the final group with another top player in the women’s game – Rolex Rankings No. 3 Stacy Lewis – and once again she didn’t seem to flinch when the pressure was on her. After a bogey on the 10th hole where a ruling didn’t go the way she had hoped, Kim bounced back with three straight birdies. Despite Lewis putting the pressure on Kim with a stretch of four birdies in five holes from No. 12 to No. 16, Kim kept making birdies of her own en route to shooting a 4-under 32 on the back nine. And even with just a one-shot lead heading into the final hole, Kim didn’t seem to be affected by the pressure as she made birdie to clinch her victory.
“It’s impossible not to feel a little pressure or nervous, especially when your playing partner is playing so well,” Kim said through a translator. “If anything, I think the situation on hole 10 helped because after I went through there and I got a bogey, I just realized there’s no time to feel pressure or feel afraid. I’ve just got to go out there and play.”
With her victory at the JTBC Founders Cup that made her a Rolex First-Time Winner, Kim is projected to move to No. 4 in the Rolex Rankings. The 19-year-old may just be a rookie on the LPGA Tour but she’s already gaining a lot of respect for her game from her fellow competitors.
“She’s just really solid,” Lewis said of Kim after Sunday’s round. “Kind of had to battle back from some adversity there on 10. But just really solid. On the front, I didn’t put much pressure on her but even when I did make some putts, she made the putts to follow and she put a lot of pressure on and was just really solid all day.”
Numbers to know
13 - Hyo Joo Kim has played in 13 LPGA events and has yet to finish outside of the top-25, with eight top-10 finishes and a pair of victories
6 - Hyo Joo Kim becomes the sixth consecutive Korean born player to win on Tour this season.
2 - Kim is the second Rolex First Time Winner and second rookie to win this season joining country woman Sei Young Kim
69 - Number of combined wins for the four winners of the JTBC Founders Cup
-21 - Kim becomes the first player to win on Tour with a score of 20-under or better since Inbee Park at the 2014 Fubon LPGA Taiwan
17 - Stacy Lewis now has 17 career second place finishes
Ridiculous Rookie Class
Hyo Joo Kim is just one member of a very talented rookie class on the LPGA Tour this season. She’s the second rookie to win this season, joining fellow South Korean rookie Sei Young Kim who captured a victory at the Pure Silk Bahamas Classic.
The top five rookies in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race entering this week have now combined to deliver two victories, eight additional top 10s and a total of 16-top 25 finishes through the first six events of the 2015 season.
“I’m a rookie, too, so I don’t have time to think too much about it,” Kim said of the impressive rookie class. “But I have known these players from since we used to play on the Korean ladies tour, and I know how good they can be. In fact, everyone on the LPGA Tour is really good, otherwise they wouldn’t be here. So I’m just trying to find my place.”
Homecoming results in woods best finish of the year
Cheyenne Woods had over 40 family members and friends out this week at the JTBC Founders Cup many of whom were wearing “We’re with Woods” t-shirts. The LPGA rookie was able to put on a show for them during the week finishing up at 11-under and tied for 24th.
“It’s great to play well this week, especially with this being a home tournament for me,” Woods said. “Being born and raised here, I have a lot of friends and family to watch. It’s been a fun week and I’m happy with how I’ve played”
The 24th place finish was the best of Woods’ rookie campaign and just missed her best LPGA finish of T23 at the 2014 ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open. Woods is hoping her solid play will carry over to the rest of the LPGA’s west coast swing.
“I think so,” Woods said. “Kind of helps build that confidence. It’s a different feeling now that I’m out here full time playing against these girls. The girls are amazing; so for me to be able to compete with them shows me a lot about my game. So I’m excited for next week now.”
Ilhee lee playing for a cause
Ilhee Lee had one of the rounds of the day on Sunday eventually finishing up at 16-under par and tied for third. Her best finish since a runner-up showing at the Mizuno Classic last November.
“Well today on the front nine, I thought this weekend is not my weekend,” Lee admitted. “Every putt goes so close but didn’t go in. But my caddie, he told me, be patient because it’s going to go in. Then I had seven holes left, and made birdie, five feet from the par 3, and made it, and then I start to feel like I can make more. But then I made eagle putt, that was like 20 feet away. And like this far, birdie, right next hole. I mean, finished strong. I’m happy. I’m happy for I finished strong. “
While Lee is happy with her play she is also happy that the money from her strong finish will help her give back to people in need.
“I told my friend, if I make money, like plenty money this week, I will help for the Africa to help build pipe things for the water,” Lee explained. “So I keep thinking about that, I want to make more birdie for them. I think that ends up really good.”
Quote of the Day
“Well, it’s impossible not to feel a little pressure or nervous, especially when your playing partner is playing so well.” -Hyo Joo Kim on having nerves playing with Stacy Lewis
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