Hyo Joo Kim of South Korea carded a 7-under-par 66 to beat Stacy Lewis, Anna Nordqvist of Sweden and Sei Young Kim, also of South Korea, by two strokes in the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic at Ocean Club Golf Course in Paradise Island, Bahamas.
The 20-year-old Kim, who claimed her third LPGA Tour title after winning nine times on the LPGA of Korea, collected eight birdies–including three in a row through No. 6 and three straight again through No. 14.
“My goal coming in was to finish in the top 10, but obviously I’m pleased, happy that I won,” Kim said through an interpreter. “I looked at the leaderboard coming up the last hole, but I already knew I was ahead by two strokes.
“So obviously I was a little nervous with Stacy playing behind me and you can reach the green in two here.”
However, Lewis did not reach the green in two to have a chance to make an eagle putt that would have forced a playoff, settling for a closing par and a 68 that included an eagle on the fourth hole and three birdies in a row through No. 15.
The No. 3 player in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings finished as the runner-up for the seventh time in the last year and has not won since claiming her 11th LPGA Tour victory in the 2014 Walmart NW Arkansas LPGA Classic.
“Seven-under (by Kim) is a great score here and I knew it would take something like that to win,” said Lewis, who has won two major championships. “I got off to a little bit of a slow start and was disappointed to make a bogey at No. 8, but I’m proud of the way I came back after that.
“My game’s in a good spot right now.”
Sei Young Kim collected three birdies on each nine, but also made a double-bogey 6 on the ninth hole in her 68, while Nordqvist birdied two of the last holes for a 69.
Paula Creamer of Pleasanton birdied three of the last four holes in a 68 to finish three shots back in a tie for fifth with Pornanong Phatlum of Thailand, whose bogey-free 65 equaled the low score of the week, and Ilhee Lee of South Korea, who wound up at 68.
Brittany Lincicome eagled the fourth hole in a 65 and was four strokes behind in a tie for eighth that lifted her into the top 15 of the world rankings and in position to make the U.S. Olympic team.
Charley Hull of England, who had a share of the lead after each of the first three rounds, closed with a 71 and also was in the tie for eighth with Min Seo Kwak of South Korea, who came in at 67.
Alison Lee of Valencia and UCLA carded a 71 and tied for 15th, while Jane Park of Rancho Cucamonga had a 68 to wind up in a tie for 17th that included Candie Kung of Fountain Valley and USC, who had a 68.
