Kim Hyoju "Sponsorship Tournament Victory Sweetly Taken"... Choi Hyejin 'Best Result 3rd Place' (Summary)

Lotte Championship 5th Career Win with 370 Million Won Jackpot, Shibuno 2nd, Lee So-mi 5th, Anna Lin Tied 6th

Kim Hyo-joo (left) is being showered with congratulatory water immediately after winning the Lotte Championship. Hawaii, USA = Getty Images / Multibits

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] It is a victory at a sponsor tournament for Kim Hyo-joo (27, Lotte), ranked 13th in the world.

On the 17th (Korean time), at Hoakalei Golf Club (par 72, 6,603 yards) on Oahu Island, Hawaii, USA, Kim finished the final day of the LPGA Tour Lotte Championship (total prize money $2 million) by reducing 1 stroke to complete a 2-stroke victory (11 under par 277). This is her 5th career win, 11 months after the HSBC Women's World Championship in May last year, with a winner's prize of $300,000 (37 million KRW). Following Ko Jin-young (27), the HSBC Women's Champion last month, this is Korea's second win this year.

Kim Hyo-joo started with a 3-stroke lead and recorded 3 birdies and 2 bogeys. She gained momentum with birdies on the 5th hole (par 5) and 8th hole (par 4), but faltered with a '3-putt bogey' on the 9th hole (par 3). In the windy back nine, she maintained her score with a stable strategy, making pars, but made a bogey on the 17th hole (par 4). However, she sealed the victory with a birdie on the final 18th hole (par 5). Her powerful drives averaging 286 yards were the driving force behind her win.

Kim Hyo-joo has been a 'monster' dominating the professional stage since her amateur days. In 2012, she collected trophies in Korea (Lotte Mart Women's Open), Japan (Suntory), and Taiwan (Swinging Skirts), setting records in Japan as the youngest winner (16 years and 332 days) and the lowest 18-hole score (61). In 2014, she won 5 titles, becoming the 'quadruple crown' winner on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, and secured a 'direct LPGA Tour ticket' by winning the Evian Championship in September as a non-member.

After winning the Founders Cup in 2015 and the Bahamas Classic in 2016, she fell into a slump. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, she won 2 titles on the domestic stage instead of the US, achieving a 'quintuple crown' and making a comeback. Last year, she tasted the joy of victory again after 5 years and 3 months at the HSBC Women's World Championship. This year, she is having a smooth season with 3 top-10 finishes including 1 win. She cheered, "I won at a sponsor tournament" and "I made good memories."

Choi Hye-jin is making an iron shot on the 1st hole on the final day of the Lotte Championship. Photo by Daehong Communications

2019 major British Women's Open champion Hinako Shibuno (Japan) finished 2nd (9 under par 279). Korea's Choi Hye-jin (23, Lotte) recorded 3 under par to finish 3rd (7 under par 281), her best this season. Invited player and 'KLPGA member' Lee So-mi (23, SBI Savings Bank) also performed well, finishing 5th (5 under par 283). Anna Lin (26, Mediheal) tied for 6th (4 under par 284), and Jeon In-ji (28, KB Financial Group) tied for 12th (2 under par 286).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.