Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim fended off an inspired Nelly Korda to cement a wire-to-wire victory at the Fortinet Founders Cup.
Kim entered the final round at Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club with a five-stroke advantage. However, with two bogeys to match her pair of birdies on the front nine, she swiftly saw her lead erased as World No. 2 Korda fired six birdies by the 10th to share the lead.
Steadying her nerves, Kim birdied the 11th to regain the advantage. Although she bogeyed the following 12th, Korda did the same, meaning Kim remained ahead. Her last birdie of the round came at the 14th as bogeys at the 16th and 18th meant she carded a 1-over 73 for the round and finished on 16 under, leaving the door ajar for Korda. But the Floridian failed to capitalize and bogeyed the penultimate hole to close at 15 under, handing Kim the win and her eighth career LPGA Tour title.
“I don’t think I was necessarily shaken up or my emotions were all over the place,” Kim said afterwards through a translator. “I was just trying to keep my focus on my shots and what I was doing.”
“I think just in the back nine my two par saves were probably the things I’m proudest about today. Just because my shots weren’t playing as well.”
“I enjoyed every single day, but this course was pretty tough.”
This marks the 30-year-old’s second time winning the event since she last picked up the trophy in 2015—her debut season on the circuit. It is also almost a year since she last entered the winners circle at the 2025 Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass.
Korda was also in search of her second title of 2026 after winning the season opener and skipping the Asia swing.
“Obviously, something like 17 stings, so it is what it is,” Korda said. “It’s golf. It’s a quick turnaround. There is next week. So, just going to take all the positives.”
“I wish I could have hit that drive into the fairway and given myself a better opportunity to press a little bit more. But that’s just golf. Those are sports. Sometimes it’s on your side and sometimes it’s not.”
Kim’s fellow compatriots Jin Hee Im and Sei Young Kim shared third, four shots off Korda on 11 under.
What is the next event?
The next event on the LPGA Tour is Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass taking place between 26-29 March at Whirlwind Golf Club in Phoenix, Arizona.