As the sun began to sink behind the mountains at Hoakalei Country Club, Australian rookie Grace Kim drained a tricky 5-foot birdie putt to win her first LPGA Tour title at the LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei in a playoff with Yu Jin Sung and Yu Liu. The trio of players finished at -12 overall, with Kim capturing the title in just her third start as an LPGA Tour Member.
Kim started the day one back of Sung, in a tie for second with major champion Georgia Hall. She immediately tied Sung at -9 with a birdie on the first hole, but the KLPGA winner quickly snatched it back, making birdies on holes three and five to move to -11.
Kim went birdie-bogey on the fifth and sixth holes, turning in 35 to sit at -10, tied for the lead with Sung, who dropped a shot on the ninth, and Yu Liu, who put on a bogey-free show on Saturday, five groups ahead of the leaders. Sung regained the lead at -11 with a birdie on the 10th, and Liu tied that mark with a birdie on No. 14. Liu ultimately posted the clubhouse lead at -12 after a birdie on No. 16, setting the mark for Kim and Sung to match.
As she made her way down the stretch, Kim dug deep, making birdie on the challenging par-4 17th and matching Sung’s birdie on the par-5 18th to force a three-way playoff. Playing the 18th again, all three players went for the green in two with Liu hitting hers long and left, Sung coming up short and left, and Kim pushing her approach right to sit pin-high. Liu’s third came up well short before Sung blasted her third over the green and nearly in the penalty area, giving the advantage to Kim.
The 22-year-old Epson Tour graduate nearly holed her chip shot and buried the birdie putt right in the heart, giving Australia its first LPGA Tour winner since Minjee Lee won last year’s U.S. Women’s Open.
“I definitely wanted to have a good go at it knowing that the green wasn't the best angle in from where we were. I would have to admit that I wasn't planning to go that aggressive. I did push it right,” said Kim. “I got lucky. Definitely aimed at the pin for a little kind of play for landing in between the bunker and hopefully does something miraculous. But I guess you can make birdies in other ways. So, a different way of miraculous happened.”
Kim is the 12th player from Australia to win on the LPGA Tour, joining her idol Karrie Webb, someone who has been instrumental to her young career. Though she didn’t chat with her before the final round, Kim said she could feel Webb’s presence as she was making her way down the stretch and feels honored to be among the list of Australian LPGA champions. “I think it really just puts the cherry on top of my career,” she said. “I know it's just the beginning, but seeing how much they really motivated me to get here, yeah, it's really exciting.”
While disappointed to not hoist the trophy, Liu and Sung were both pleased with their play throughout the week. Sung hopes to come back next year and get the win that eluded her on Saturday. “(It was a good introduction) and very good experience, but very (close) to win,” Sung said. “I have to (win) next time I get this. I would like to thank LOTTE (for inviting) me to this great tournament and I would love to (play) LOTTE if they call me again next year. I will do much more better if they call me again.”
Epson Tour graduate Linnea Strom and Chinese Taipei’s Peiyun Chien finished in a tie for fourth at 11-under with three players in a tie for sixth at 10-under, including Hall. Rounding out the top 10 were sponsor invite Youmin Hwang and Epson Tour member Siyun Liu. Defending champion Hyo Joo Kim finished in a tie for 48th at 1-over overall.
)
)
)
)
