‘2023 무관’ Kim Hyo-joo laments “Steady is good, but we need to win”
“I think if you’re an athlete, you have to win.”
South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim, the world No. 7 in women’s golf, could not hide her disappointment after finishing tied for fourth at the AIG Women’s Open ($9 million purse), the final major of the U.S. Women’s Professional Golf (LPGA) Tour season, which concluded Thursday at Walton Heath GC (par 72-6713 yards) in Surrey, England. Kim was in a three-way tie for third place, one stroke off the lead after three rounds, with a chance to win her first major in nine years and sixth overall since the 2014 Evian Championship, but fell back with a two-stroke deficit on the final day. 먹튀검증
Kim has eight top-10 finishes this year, including two runner-up finishes and a third. Kim, who has two top-10 finishes in majors following a tie for sixth at the U.S. Women’s Open last month, said, “My shots and putts aren’t bad, so I’ve been performing steadily, but I think I’d rather be first.”
Shin Ji-ae was the best Korean finisher with a strong final day, just as she did at the U.S. Women’s Open. In her first major in four years, she finished runner-up at the U.S. Women’s Open and tied for third at this event, confirming the majesty of the former world No. 1 with 64 career victories. Yang Hee-young also had a strong final day to tie for fourth with Kim Hyo-ju.
Three Koreans finished in the top five, but as Kim said, they were missing a big one. The Korean women’s golf team finished the 2023 season without winning any of the five majors. It’s a seven-major winless streak since Jeon won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship last year (June).
Korean players have combined for 35 major victories since Park Se-ri won the LPGA Championship in 1998. There were six seasons when they swept as many as three majors in a season (2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020), but they have won just one of 15 majors in the last three years.
Lilia Vu (USA), the granddaughter of Vietnam’s “boat people,” finished six shots clear of co-leader Charley Hull (8-under 280-England). Since her debut win at the Honda LPGA Thailand (February) earlier this year, she has won two majors, including the season’s first major, the Chevron Championship (April), and became just the second player behind Celine Boutier (FRA) to reach the three-win plateau this season. With the $1.35 million first-place prize, Vu has booked her place atop the world rankings.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda (USA) finished tied for 11th (2-under-par 286), while second-ranked Jin Young Ko (KOR) finished tied for 30th (1-over-par 289).