South Korea’s A Lim Kim fired a 4-under 68 on Saturday to win the LOTTE Championship in Ewa Beach, Hawaii.
Kim entered the fourth and final round of the tournament with a one-stroke lead and held on to edge Nataliya Guseva of Russia by two shots. Guseva carded a 3-under 69 on Saturday to come up just short of Kim’s 18-under 270 at Hoakalei Country Club.
It marks the second career LPGA Tour title for Kim, who racked up 25 birdies to go along with an ace at the LOTTE. Kim also won the U.S. Women’s Open in 2020.
“I think Hawaii is more good for me, more comfortable, and then when I … came on site, everything is new and then grass and read is very hard for me,” Kim said. “But getting better from now, more easier.”
Bogeys at the par-4 second and par-3 ninth on Saturday ended up costing Guseva. She did have five birdies, including a pair at Nos. 11 and 13, but she was unable to become the first Russian golfer to win on the LPGA Tour.
“Obviously congrats to A Lim for a great game. I really did my best out there. I never gave up. Every hole like I gave just my 100 percent and more than that,” Guseva said. “I enjoyed it out there. I enjoy playing golf. I enjoy the crowds.”
Auston Kim birdied four of her first six holes before slowing down, as she recorded just one more birdie the rest of the way during a bogey-free round. She shared low-round honors with Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, who also posted a 5-under 67.
Auston Kim landed in third, three strokes behind A Lim Kim, while Hataoka came in fourth, four shots off the lead.
“It got really tough in the back. I got off to a really hot start. Made a lot of good shots and really good putts on the front nine. Putter got a little cold after the ninth hole,” Auston Kim said. “Just kept telling myself, ‘Like you’re hitting really good shots. You’re visualizing while you’re feeling everything very well. Just keep giving yourself chances.'”
Ryann O’Toole (70) and Yuri Yoshida of Japan (69) tied for fifth.
South Korean Jin Young Ko (70) came in seventh, Lindy Duncan (68) ended up in eighth and Hyo Joo Kim of South Korea (69) and Angel Yin (69) were T9.
–Field Level Media
