Nelly Korda Starts 2025 With Runner-Up at LPGA Tournament of Champions

A Lim Kim claimed her third LPGA win, going wire-to-wire at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions for a two-stroke victory over Nelly Korda.

Nelly Korda started her 2025 campaign with a runner-up. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Despite a late charge from Nelly Korda, A Lim Kim is the LPGA’s first winner of 2025. 

Kim went wire-to-wire with rounds of 65-69-67-67 to claim the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions by two strokes at Lake Nona in Orlando, Fla. It’s the 29-year-old Korean’s third LPGA title and second win since last November. 

“So fun, so good,” Kim said after finishing at 20 under. “I’m hungry.”

The winning putt that made A Lim Kim a 3x LPGA Tour winner 🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/o7hkfza7cP

— LPGA (@LPGA) February 2, 2025

Korda, the world No. 1, started the day T3 with defending champion Lydia Ko, four strokes back of Kim’s 54-hole lead. Korda, who won seven times in 2024, shot 3 under on the front and got within one stroke on the back nine. However, Kim, the 2020 U.S. Women's Open champion, was able to pull away with three birdies in her final four holes—and never felt her lead was in jeopardy. 

“I don't think so,” Kim said when asked if she was concerned Korda would catch her, “because I feel really good and then still I have more chance because one more hole.”

But with an abundance of chances remaining to get back in the winner’s circle, Korda is content with how her season opener went. 

“This is what I love about golf,” the 26-year-old said after her final-round 65, “being in the hunt on a Sunday going down the back nine. Yeah, I mean, I played well. I wish I had a couple of those putts back this week.”

The lowest round of the day—and week—belonged to Minjee Lee, who with a new putter and caddie shot a final-round 62 to move eight spots up the leaderboard and finish T4 at 14 under with Jin Young Ko. Linn Grant placed solo third at 15 under. 

“Before I started today I was like, ‘let’s just get off to a really fast start and see how low I can do today,’” Lee said. “Yeah, just tried to ride the momentum.”

But in the end, Kim was the one holding the trophy. 

Next, the LPGA will head just over 100 miles south to Bradenton, Fla., for next week’s Founders Cup.