skip to main content

Hyo Joo Kim earns Lotte Championship victory in Hawaii

Hyo Joo Kim poses with the trophy
Hyo Joo Kim poses with the trophy

Hyo Joo Kim's final-round one-under-par 71 was good enough for a two-shot victory over Hinako Shibuno at the Lotte Championship in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, as Stephanie Meadow slipped back to finish in a tie for 18th.

FULL LEADERBOARD

The 26-year-old South Korean Kim, who held three-shot leads after the second and third rounds, recovered from a bogey on the 17th with a birdie on the final hole to finish at 11-under and win for the fifth time on the LPGA Tour.

The win was worth $300,000. Her most recent victory was at the 2021 HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore.

Shibuno, of Japan, who was tied for second entering the day after firing a 68 on Friday, had no bogeys but only two birdies to finish on nine-under.

Alone in third at seven under was South Korea's Hye-Jin Choi, who shot 69, her best round of the tournament.

Meadow carded her worst round of the weekend - a five-over 77 - to end up on one-under-par. However Leona Maguire hoisted herself up to three-over thanks to a closing three-under 69.

The United States' Brianna Do, who was the other player tied for second as the day began, crumbled to join six golfers tied for 12th after a 77. Her round had no birdies, and four of her five bogeys came on a five-hole span bridging the front and back nine.

South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai shot her second consecutive 70 to end the tournament in fourth place at six-under, one stroke better than South Korea's Somi Lee who fell to five-under with a 73.

Defending champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand closed out the tourney with a one-under 70 to finish tied with seven others for 18th place.

Read Next