Sei Young Kim finished off her first major victory in style, firing a 7-under-par 63 on Sunday to capture the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Newton Square, Pa.
The 27-year-old Kim finished at 14-under 266 at Aronimink Golf Club to claim a five-stroke victory over fellow South Korean and seven-time major winner Inbee Park, who shot a 5-under on Sunday. “I reached my big goal, so I’m very happy with that,” Kim said. “It means a lot … It’s very emotional. I’m very happy to win my first major tournament.”
[embed]https://twitter.com/KPMGWomensPGA/status/1315368153980063745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw[/embed]Kim’s victory also allowed her to shed the designation of being the winningest active player on the LPGA Tour without a major championship. She entered with 10 wins to her credit.
Kim, who earned $645,000 with the win, settled for a second-place finish at the 2015 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and tied for second at the Evian Championship in 2018.
“It was just so hard to believe that she never won a major before because it felt like she won a few,” Park said.
Kim was not going to be denied on Sunday, recording seven birdies without a bogey. She registered birdies on holes Nos. 3, 6 and 9 on the front nine and added her fifth of the day on the par-3 14th hole to boost her lead to four strokes over Park.
“This course is really challenging for all the players,” Kim said. “It’s really tough. Sometimes I’m shaking my head, or my legs are shaking. But I just tried to keep the focus on (winning).”
Park, who had five birdies during her bogey-free final round, was left to tip her cap to Kim.
“It was a great day out there — I couldn’t ask for a better day,” Park said. “Sei Young was just really untouchable … I’d like to congratulate her; she had a great day. That’s how a champion plays a final round.” Nasa Hataoka (64) of Japan and Carlota Ciganda (65) of Spain tied for third place at 7 under.
Hataoka had an eagle on the first hole and added four birdies during her bogey-free round.
Ciganda also had an eagle and four birdies against one bogey on Sunday.
Two-time major winner Anna Nordqvist (71) of Sweden finished in fifth. Jennifer Kupcho was the highest finisher from the United States, tying for seventh place with England’s Charley Hull at 1 under.
–Field Level Media ()