Hyo Joo Kim Wins Lotte Championship in Hawaii
Hyo Joo Kim of Korea shot a 1-under 71 in the final round to hold off all challengers and win the Lotte Championship in a Saturday finish on the LPGA Tour in Ewa Beach on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.
Kim finished 72 holes at 11-under 277 at Hoakalei Country Club, two shots ahead of Japan’s Hinako Shibuno and four ahead of Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi.
For the 26-year-old Kim, it was her fifth career LPGA Tour victory. Included in that total is a major championship, the 2014 Evian Championship, which she won as a non-member before her official rookie year in 2015.
Kim entered the final round three shots ahead of Shibuno, a margin she maintained throughout the course of the day. Kim’s lead was two with eight holes to play but Kim's bogey on the par-4 17th cut the margin to one shot going into the final hole, the par-5 18th.
Kim made birdie and Shibuno could only manage a par to seal the victory for the Korean. Kim won the first prize of $300,000.
Choi shot 69 in the final round to secure third place, two ahead of South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai, who finished with 70. Korea’s Somi Lee (73) was fifth at 5-under 283.
The LPGA Tour moves back to the mainland next week for the Dio Implant LA Open at Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles.