MENLO PARK, Calif. — On Sunday at Sharon Heights, Hyo Joo Kim secured a start-to-finish triumph in the Fortinet Founders Cup, successfully fending off Nelly Korda.
Though her initial five-stroke lead vanished after 10 holes, Kim recaptured the advantage on the subsequent hole, ultimately securing a one-shot winning margin despite a final bogey.
“I don’t believe I was particularly agitated or that my feelings were in disarray,” Kim communicated via an interpreter. “My sole aim was to maintain concentration on my strokes and actions.”
Kim recorded a 1-over 73, culminating in a 16-under 272 aggregate score. The 30-year-old South Korean golfer additionally triumphed at the 2015 tournament in Phoenix. She possesses eight LPGA Tour championships alongside 14 KLPGA Tour successes.
Korda failed to sink a brief par putt on the 17th hole and concluded her round with a 69. The American golfer claimed victory in the season’s initial competition in Florida, subsequently bypassing the Asia circuit.
“Naturally, an occurrence like the 17th is painful, but that’s just how it is,” Korda stated. “This is golf. The recovery time is brief. Another week awaits. Therefore, I will simply embrace all the favorable aspects.”
Korda equaled Kim’s score with a bogey on the 2nd hole, subsequently achieving birdies on six of the following eight holes to draw even for the lead. Kim re-established her advantage with a birdie on the par-4 11th, exchanged bogeys with Korda on the par-4 12th, and established a two-stroke lead with a birdie on the par-4 14th.
Kim relinquished the stroke by carding a bogey on the par-4 16th, then executed a flop shot from dense rough to within 2 1/2 feet to secure par after overshooting the par-3 17th. Korda took three putts for a bogey on the 17th, failing to convert a 3-foot attempt, thereby providing Kim with the two-shot lead she ultimately required heading into the 18th.
“I believe that on the back nine, my two par rescues were likely what I’m most content with today,” Kim stated. “Simply because my strikes weren’t performing optimally.”
Kim’s triumph marked her first in a year, dating back to the Ford Championship in Phoenix, a competition set to commence Thursday at Whirlwind Golf Club. She began strongly at the demanding Sharon Heights course, sinking a shot for an eagle on the eighth hole on Thursday with a score of 63, which provided her with a two-shot lead. By Friday, she extended her advantage to four strokes with a 70.
“I relished each day, yet this course proved quite arduous,” Kim remarked.
Sei Young Kim (67) and Jin Hee Im (69) finished jointly in third place at 11 under par. The leading-ranked Jeeno Thitikul secured a tie for 14th position at 8 under after carding a 73.
The competition originated in Arizona in 2011, serving as a homage to the 13 originators of the LPGA. The previous year, it took place in Florida.