ORLANDO, Fla. — A Lim Kim responded to a late cost by Nelly Korda with three birdies on her closing 4 holes for a 5-under 67 and a two-shot victory Sunday within the LPGA season opener on the Hilton Grand Holidays Match of Champions.
Korda, coming off a seven-win season, holed a 3-foot birdie putt on the par-5 fifteenth to tie for the lead. Kim was within the closing group behind her and matched the birdie to regain the lead.
Kim seized management with a 20-foot birdie putt on the sixteenth for a two-shot lead, and he or she capped off her wire-to-wire win with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th.
“So enjoyable, so good. After which I am hungry,” Kim mentioned when requested to explain how she was feeling.
Korda closed with a 65 at Lake Nona to start out her season with a runner-up end.
“Yeah, not dangerous,” Korda mentioned. “I am by no means going to complain ending second in a event and giving it a run, particularly on a Sunday. There are undoubtedly a pair putts I want to have again, however general, I believe I am very pleased with this week and excited for subsequent week.”
Linn Grant of Sweden shot 69 and completed third, 5 photographs behind. Minjee Lee shot 62 and tied for fourth with Jin Younger Ko (65).
Kim, a 29-year-old South Korean greatest recognized for her 2020 U.S. Girls’s Open title at Champions Golf Membership in Houston through the COVID-19 pandemic, now has three LPGA titles. This was her second straight win through which she by no means trailed after any spherical, having achieved the identical in Hawaii final yr.
She completed at 20-under 268 and received $300,000.
Korda and defending champion Lydia Ko began the ultimate spherical 4 photographs behind. Lydia Ko fell off the tempo early with three bogeys in her opening six holes, and he or she by no means challenged once more. She shot 70 and completed sixth.
Korda had 5 birdies and a pair of bogeys on the entrance 9 to chip away on the lead, and he or she lastly pulled even together with her quick birdie on the fifteenth — however solely briefly.
Kim was paying consideration but additionally knew she was one group behind and had the par 5 in entrance of her.
“I watched her scoreboard — ooh, make birdie, wow — after which focus once more on my recreation,” mentioned Kim, who added she was by no means overly involved. “I really feel actually good, after which nonetheless I’ve extra probability as a result of yet one more gap.”
Within the movie star division, former NHL participant Joe Pavelski had 36 factors in Stableford scoring and received by 5 factors over Jeff McNeil of the New York Mets.
The LPGA Tour stays in Florida subsequent week for the Founders Cup at Bradenton Nation Membership, the place Korda received final yr when it was the Drive On Championship.
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