Australian compatriot Grace Kim won the LPGA Tour Lotte Championship. Grace started the 4th round on the final day of the tournament held at Hoakalay Country Club (par 72) in Eva Beach, Oahu, Hawaii on the 16th (Korean time).
He caught a birdie on the last 18th hole (par 5), and the final total was 12 under par 276 strokes. Grace Kim tied with Seong Yu-jin (Hanwha Q Cells Golf Team) and Liu Yu (China), who participated as invited players in this tournament. The three players played overtime, and Grace Kim came out on top after overtime.
This marks Grace Kim’s third win on her LPGA Tour debut. Last year (2022), Sung Yu-jin, who came out as an invited player to this tournament by winning the Korea Women’s Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour Lotte Open, took the joint lead in the second round and the sole lead in the third round, raising expectations for victory, but failed to cross the final hurdle.
In the 4th round, Seong Yu-jin tied 4 birdies and 1 bogey and shot a 3-under-par 69, standing shoulder to shoulder with Grace Kim and Ryu Wi. However, he
gave up the victory to Grace Kim, who caught a birdie in overtime.
If Sung Eugene had won the championship, he could have become the LPGA Tour’non-member champion’ in eight months after Maya Stark (Sweden) at the ISPS Handa World Invitational in August 2022. She was also able to become the ‘Invited Players Winner’ in 10 years since Lydia Ko (New Zealand) at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open in August 2013. However, she had to be content with finishing runner-up. 메이저놀이터
He caught birdies on holes 3 (par 4) and 5 (par 5) in the 4th round to keep the lead in the early stages. However, as the iron shot faltered, the pursuit was allowed. She gave the lead to Linea Strom (Sweden). However, Seong Yu-jin caught a birdie on the 10th hole (par 4) and tied for the lead with Strom.
After that, a fierce competition for the championship unfolded, and the final winner was Grace Kim. Grace Kim sent the ball closest to the green in the first overtime period. Seong Yu-jin was unable to keep the par as her third shot fell into the rough on the other side.
Grace Kim made her debut on the regular tour this year after going through the Epson Tour, the second part of the LPGA.
Strom, who competed for the championship, was tied for fourth place with Jen Beiyun (Taiwan) with 11 under par 277 strokes.
KLPGA Tour rookie Hwang Yoo-min (Lotte Golf Team) tied for 9th place with an 8 under par, 280 strokes, and Choi Hye-jin (Lotte Golf Team) finished the tournament tied for 13th place with a 6 under par, 282 strokes.
Kim Hyo-joo (Lotte Golf Team), the winner of last year’s tournament, was pushed down to a tie for 48th place with a 1-over par of 289.