Hyo Joo Kim lived up to her billing at the Aramco Team Series Presented by PIF – Korea as the home favourite put on a show to win by three shots in Seoul.
Leading by two shots heading into the final round, the Major winner held off Charley Hull‘s Sunday surge carding a round of 68 (-4) to end the week on 10-under par.
Kim said: “I haven’t won on the Ladies European Tour (LET) before so this is very meaningful and makes this win all the more special for me.
“My performance this season has been disappointing. Ending the tournament in Korea on a positive note feels like a turning point for me. I feel confident and energized to perform well in upcoming tournaments like the U.S. Open and the Olympics.”
Playing alongside Hull and recent winner Mariajo Uribe from Colombia, Kim with given extra breathing room on the opening par-4 1st when both her opponents dropped shots.
A Sunday shootout soon looked on the cards as Hull lit things up on the front nine making five birdies in seven holes before the turn. Kim responded with birdies of her own on the 5th and 7th – the latter one of the shots of the day on the picturesque par-3 – to lead by one shot.
The birdies would dry up for Hull on the back-nine, however, as Kim shut the door making birdies on the 14th, 16th, and 17th to the delight of her fan club, the shooting stars, watching on.
Despite missing the green on the 18th, the World No. 12 was still able to three putt to seal a classy three shot victory.
“Charley [Hull] hit a lot of birdies so the competitiveness in me boiled up to bring out the best in me. If you have players that make a lot of birdies that always helps me.
“I’m going to have a celebratory party today. I did have a lot of misses [on the course], so my party will last two days! Then I’ll probably focus back on practicing.”
With the clinical victory, Kim picks up her second victory on the LET after she won the co-sanctioned Evian Championship – her only Major win to date – in 2014.
In second place on seven-under par finished Hull who matched Kim’s score to record yet another runner-up finish on the LET.
“I’m pretty happy with the way I played,” the World No 8 said. “I played solid all day but Hyo-Joo just kind of ran away with it at the end. I just couldn’t hole the putts coming in. But I’m happy with my week. It’s when you come second again but it’s ok.”
Uribe and South Africa’s Casandra Alexander ended the week in third place on five-under par – the latter posting the round of the day to continue her excellent run in the Aramco Team Series.
Switzerland’s Elena Moosmann ended the week in solo fifth on four-under par. Denmark’s Nicole Broch Estrup was one back in sixth position.
Earlier in the day, Team Kang were crowned Team winners after the quartet of USA’s Danielle Kang, England’s Lily May Humphreys, China’s Tian Xiaolin and amateur Kyu Ho Lee combined to post a score of 23-under par.
In the Order of Merit, Hull overtakes recent winner Chiara Tamburlini to take third position. Her compariot Bronte Law still leads the way on 1,171.15 points with Belgium’s Manon De Roey in second on 1,037.17 points.
Next up for the stars of the LET is a trip to Berlin for the Amundi German Masters. Follow all the action on socials @LETgolf on Instagram and X and Ladies European Tour on Facebook and YouTube – #RaiseOurGame #SeeTheImpact.
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