Hyo-Joo Kim held off a spirited Charley Hull to claim a three-shot victory in the Aramco Team Series event in Seoul.
The home favorite went into the final round with a two-shot advantage but was put under pressure by the World No. 8 who hit five birdies on the front nine to close the gap on the lead to one stroke. But the South Korean didn’t show any signs of bulking under the pressure and responded with birdies on the fifth and seventh as well as sinking three birdies in the final four holes to end on 10 under and seal only her second victory on the Ladies European Tour, after the co-sanctioned 2014 Evian Championship.
“I haven’t won on the Ladies European Tour before, so this is very meaningful and makes this win all the more special for me,” Kim said.
“My performance this season has been disappointing. Ending the tournament in Korea on a positive note feels like a turning point for me. I feel confident and energised to perform well in upcoming tournaments like the US Open and the Olympics.”
Kim also credited Hull on her performance by stated that it was her pressure that aided her own display.
“Charley hit a lot of birdies so the competitiveness in me boiled up to bring out the best in me,” she added. “If you have players that make a lot of birdies that always helps me.
“I’m going to have a celebratory party today. I did have a lot of misses [on the course], so my party will last two days! Then I’ll probably focus back on practising.”
Hull finished the tournament on 7 under while there was a tie for third between South Africa’s Cassandra Alexandra and Mariano Uribe on 5 under.
What is the next event?
The next event on the Ladies European Tour schedule is Amundi German Masters taking place between 16-19 May.