Yuna Kim Achieves First Top-10 Finish of the Season in Japan

Yuna Kim achieved her first top-10 finish of the year.

On November 9, the fourth round of the LPGA Tour Toto Japan Classic (total prize money of 2.1 million dollars), which was scheduled to be held at Seta Golf Course (par 72, 6,616 yards) in Shiga Prefecture, Japan, was canceled due to adverse weather conditions. As a result, the rankings were determined based on the three-round totals. The LPGA Tour announced, "Continuous rain at the venue has made play impossible," and added, "The tournament will be shortened to 54 holes, and official points and prize money will be distributed based on the results after three rounds."

Yuna Kim tied for 10th place with a three-round total of 7-under-par 209, alongside players such as Lee Somi. This marks the first time Yuna Kim has finished inside the top 10 in an LPGA Tour event. After sweeping the Player of the Year, Money Leader, and Lowest Scoring Average awards on the KLPGA Tour last year, she debuted on the LPGA Tour this year. However, in the 24 events she played prior to this tournament, she had never finished inside the top 10.

Yuna Kim tied for 10th place at the Toto Japan Classic. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

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However, Yuna Kim showed upward momentum by finishing 11th, her best result of the season, at the LPGA Tour Maybank Championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 2, and continued her strong performance by finishing 10th in this tournament. She shot an even-par 72 in the first round, followed by a 2-under-par 70 in the second round, and then climbed the leaderboard with a 5-under-par 67 in the third round.

Shin Ji-ae, who competes on the JLPGA Tour, finished in a tie for 6th place with a 10-under-par 206, the best result among Korean players. Jeon Mi-jung, also from the JLPGA Tour, finished tied for 21st at 6-under-par 210, and Bae Sun-woo finished tied for 27th at 5-under-par 211.

The tournament was won by Nasa Hataoka of Japan. Hataoka, who was tied for the lead with Yuna Araki of Japan at 15-under-par 201 after three rounds, secured victory with a par on the first playoff hole, the 18th (par 3), held in the afternoon. This marked her seventh career LPGA Tour win and her first in three years and seven months since the Dio Implant LA Open in April 2022. The winner's prize was 315,000 dollars (approximately 460 million won). In addition to Hataoka and Araki, Japan's "super rookie" Miyu Yamashita finished third at 14-under-par 202, Shuri Sakuma finished fourth at 12-under-par 204, and Ai Suzuki finished fifth at 11-under-par 205.

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