Ice-cool Australian rookie Grace Kim has closed with three straight birdies to say a dramatic maiden LPGA tour victory in a sudden-death playoff on the LOTTE Championship in Hawaii.
The 22-year-old birdied the ultimate two holes of regulation to signal for a four-under 68, transferring her to 12-under 276 and right into a playoff with China’s Yu Liu and South Korean Yu Jin Sung, each of whom had been additionally chasing. their first LPGA win.
Kim hit a 3-wood off the deck to the perimeter of the par-5 18th inexperienced on the primary playoff gap after which obtained up and down for birdie as the opposite two challengers stumbled.
“Simply the birdie on 17 was the massive momentum changer,” mentioned Kim.
“I am simply sort of speechless proper now.
“I’ll let you realize that my second shot on that playoff gap, that wasn’t intentional (to take such an aggressive line to the suitable of the flag) and I sort of obtained fortunate there.
“I suppose it was an excellent day in any case.”
The victory got here in solely Kim’s third begin on the LPGA Tour since gaining her full card.
Massive challenges forward
It will likely be an enormous confidence enhance for the Australian forward of subsequent week’s first main of the yr, the Chevron Championship in Texas.
Kim, who completed fifth on the secondary Epson Tour within the US final yr to earn her 2023 LPGA card, is a four-time recipient of the Karrie Webb scholarship and was fast to once more pay tribute to the seven-time main champ after this breakthrough win.
“She has already helped me out a lot from my elite beginner days,” mentioned Kim, the 12th Australian to salute on the LPGA Tour.
“This win is unquestionably a credit score to her.”
Kim pocketed a winner’s test of $300,000 ($A447,000) and moved up 103 locations to ninth within the Race to the CME Globe.
Peiyun Chien from Taiwan and Swede Linnea Strom tied for fifth at 277.
Karis Davidson was the following best-placed Australian at Ewa Seaside on Saturday (Sunday AEST), ending strongly with a 69 to maneuver as much as a tie for 19th at three-under 285.
Sarah Kemp (72) and Steph Kyriacou (73) had been tied for 38th at 288 and Su Oh was three pictures additional again.
Fellow Australian Minjee Lee (2016) is among the many former winners of the LOTTE Championship.
-AAP
