Kim Hyo-joo 'Going for 2 Consecutive Wins'... "Are 7 of the Top 10 Missing?"

LPGA Lotte Championship Opens Wednesday Local Time
Many Stars Absent Ahead of Major Chevron Championship
Henderson, Boutier, Choi Hye-jin, Jeon In-ji Among Title Contenders

"Seven out of the top 10 players in the world rankings are absent?"

Kim Hyo-joo is aiming for her second consecutive victory. The LPGA Tour Lotte Championship (total prize money $2 million), held at the Ohakalai Country Club (par 72, 6,303 yards) in Ewa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii, USA, on the 12th (local time), is a fiercely contested event. Starting in 2012, this is the 11th edition this year. The tournament opens on Wednesday local time and concludes on Saturday, ahead of next week's first major, the Chevron Championship (total prize money $5.1 million).

Kim Hyo-joo challenges for her second consecutive win at the Lotte Championship.

Kim Hyo-joo has a high chance of defending her title. Many top-tier players have withdrawn considering the travel schedule to and from Hawaii. Seven players ranked within the top 10 in the world rankings, including No. 1 Lydia Ko (New Zealand), No. 2 Nelly Korda (USA), No. 3 Ko Jin-young, No. 4 Atthaya Thitikul (Thailand), and No. 5 Minjee Lee (Australia), are not participating in the tournament. This makes the competition for the championship relatively easier.

Kim Hyo-joo has shown a steep upward trend this year. She finished tied for 10th at the Honda LPGA Thailand in February, tied for 8th at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in March, and tied for 3rd at the recently concluded DIO Implant LA Open on the 2nd. Her top 10 entry rate is 100%. Among players who have competed in more than two events, Kim Hyo-joo is the only one to have entered the top 10 each time. This is thanks to her precise iron shots, ranking 4th in greens in regulation (79.2%). Kim said, "I’m happy to return to a tournament with good memories," and added, "I like playing in Hawaii and am looking forward to it."

World No. 7 Brooke Henderson (Canada) is a strong contender for the title. She secured an early win at the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions (HGVTOC) in January. Henderson recalls the thrilling memory of winning this tournament consecutively in 2018 and 2019. Last month’s LPGA Drive On Championship winner C?line Boutier (France) is a dark horse.

Korea’s Choi Hye-jin is aiming for victory. Although she debuted on the US stage last year, she has yet to claim a trophy. She finished 3rd in this tournament last year. Choi said, "I’m very excited to participate in a sponsor’s tournament," and expressed confidence, "I have prepared hard during the off-season and will show a good performance." Jeon Ji-in, rookie Yoo Hae-ran, and KLPGA members Sung Yu-jin and Hwang Yu-min have also joined the field.

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