(Photo credit score: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images)
Hyo Joo Kim gained for the second straight week on the LPGA Tour — and for the second straight week, she fended off Nelly Korda to take action.
The native of South Korea posted a final-round, 3-under-par 69 to complete 28-under 260 and efficiently defend her title on the Ford Championship on Sunday in Chandler, Ariz.
Kim alternated 61s and 69s over the 4 days at Whirlwind Golf Club’s Cattail Course. A double-bogey 6 on the eighth gap and a bogey on the par-4 sixteenth weren’t sufficient to cease Kim, who posted three birdies on both sides of her card.
‘It’s tremendous onerous as a participant to turn into a defending champion,’ Kim stated by means of a translator. ‘But I took the good power from final week and the course and all of that into this place right here and I wish to carry that on to subsequent week.’
Kim set the LPGA’s 54-hole scoring document on Saturday however got here up three photographs shy of tying the tour’s 72-hole scoring document of 257 (Sei Young Kim, 2017).
World No. 2 Korda made two eagles in her spherical of 67 — on the par-5 second and seventeenth holes — however settled for runner-up once more at 26 underneath. Last week, Kim edged Korda by one shot on the Fortinet Founders Cup.
Korda adopted her second eagle with a birdie at No. 18 for a late push, however Kim made her par to cement the two-stroke win.
Kim, 30, has referred to as Korda her favourite participant and praised her enjoying companion after the battle.
‘Just liked and felt nice enjoying with Nelly,’ Kim stated. ‘She has such a fantastic swing and this entire time it was simply wire to wire, simply so tight. Just watching her getting that eagle and ending, the birdie on the finish, I feel she is only a unbelievable participant.’
For her half, Korda stated Kim’s play had been ‘inspiring’ and she or he was reflective after arising quick two weeks working.
‘There’s instances when I’m going to get annoyed. I’m a human being, so I’m going to get down and I’m going to get slightly annoyed,’ stated Korda, who opened the season with a victory on the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. ‘But I’m attempting to recover from that as quick as attainable.
‘I’m simply very grateful. If you’d have instructed me this time final 12 months the finishes that I’d have proper now, I’d be tremendous proud of the sport that’s trending. Last 12 months I simply felt so bizarre with my recreation. Nothing was form of going my manner.
‘I’m actually joyful. I’ve put in lots of work, and that is one of the best factor about golf is which you could at all times enhance and you may have somebody like Hyo Joo that is going to check you and push your buttons however in a very great way to enhance.’
Minami Katsu of Japan posted a 65 and positioned third at 23 underneath. New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, who opened the event with a 60, shot 68 Sunday and settled for fourth at 20 underneath.
In Gee Chun of South Korea (68) rounded out the highest 5 at 19 underneath.
–Field Level Media