A Lim Kim became the third South Korean to win an LPGA Tour title this season thanks to her triumph at the 2024 Lotte Championship.
With her win, she joins KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner Amy Yang and FM Championship winner Haerun Ryu.
A stroke ahead heading into the final day, the 29-year-old went on to secure a two-stroke win over Russian rookie Nataliya Guseva and finished three strokes ahead of fellow South Korean Auston Kim. Impressively, she kept up a 6-hole par streak, up until she birdied on the par-5 18th, and eventually finished with a 18-under 270 total.
“Honestly, my focus always same,” Kim Said. “Not focus on result. It’s focus on my process and then routine and then thinking and choose my line and then go.”
As is customary to the hosting Hoakalei Country Club, Kim did the winner’s interpretive hula on the 18th.
Last year, the Hawaii-hosted championship had taken place in April and worth a total prize of $2 million. But played in November this season, the prize purse took up some changes as well, increasing to $3 million. Kim surpassed the $1 million mark in her overall season’s earnings as she walked away with her prize of $450,000.
The 21-year-old runner up, Guseva, finished with a 16-under 272 total, parring the last 5 holes. The Russian attempted to make history by becoming her country’s first ever winner in LPGA Tour. Nonetheless, she went home with a sum of $282,976 – almost the same amount as last year’s champion.
“Obviously, congrats to A Lim for a great game,” Guseva said. “I really did my best out there. I never gave up. Every hole like I gave just my 100% and more than that.”
Third-placed Kim took home $205,279, finishing with a 15-under 273 total.
“It’s been a long year,” Auston Kim said. “A lot of good lessons and tough moments, but really proud of myself for bouncing back after the tough weeks and being able to play some really solid golf.”
One final event awaits players seeking to secure places in the top-60 for the Race to CME Globe and its $11 million prize fund.
WHAT IS THE NEXT EVENT?
The next event on the LPGA Tour schedule is the ANNIKA Driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Golf Club. It will take place between 14-17 November in Belleair, Florida.