Hyo Joo Kim lived up to her billing as pre-tournament favourite by completing a successful title defence on home soil at the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Korea Championship.
Kim started the day with a one-shot advantage at New Korea Country Club and recovered from an early bogey to fire three birdies in a three-under 69, seeing the world No 8 hold off Chaira Tamburlini and claim a two-shot victory.
The Korean ended the 54-hole event on seven under to claim her second win of the year, having also won on the LPGA Tour at the Ford Championship in March, with the latest title her 25th career title.
Hyo Joo Kim claimed a two-shot victory on home soil
“As a winner of last year’s championship, people all around me kept telling me ‘you have to win this time as well’ – I had that in my mind the whole time,” Kim said. “I think it’s a great win today.
“Golf is my job and it can be stressful. But thanks to my fans, I can really put down this stress and enjoy the game. I lived in the moment and really enjoyed it today.”
Kim got off to a shaky start when she bogeyed the par-three fourth and found herself behind when Tamburlini – playing two groups ahead – recovered from an opening-hole bogey to post five birdies on her front nine.
The lead changed hands again when Tamburlini bogeyed the 12th, as Kim followed a birdie at the sixth with another at the 11th, before both players picked up a shot at the par-five 13th to keep Kim one ahead.
Kim produced a clutch birdie at the par-four 17th to take a two-shot buffer to the final hole, where a closing par was enough to claim a third Ladies European Tour victory.
Tamburlini posted a four-under 68 to finish second ahead of Korean amateur Seojin Park, who charged up the leaderboard with a final-round 65, while France’s Perrine Delacour finished tied-fourth with Lee-Anne Pace, Dorthea Forbrigd and Emma Spitz.
German trio Aline Krauter, Chiara Noja and Polly Mack shared eighth place with Australia’s Kelsey Bennett, while Northern Ireland’s Annabel Wilson ended in tied-12th on level par.
What’s next?
The Ladies European Tour heads to the Netherlands next for the Dutch Ladies Open, the start of the European Swing, with the event beginning on Friday at Goyer Golf and Country Club. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.
