Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim did what it took to win the LOTTE Championship on Saturday. Thanks to a last card of 70 (-2), Céline Boutier records a fifth top 10 this season and settles in 4th place in the general classification of the LPGA!
Without really shaking during this last lap, Hyo Joo Kim won his fifth career LPGA title and succeeds the former world number 1 from New Zealand Lydia Ko.
The South Korean, starting three lengths ahead of the competition, kept her opponents at bay with her card of 71 (-1) made up of three birdies and two bogeys.
Win the @LPGALOTTE ✅
Perform a hula dance ✅Bravo, Hyo Joo Kim pic.twitter.com/9oqTwtVwdb
– LPGA (@LPGA) April 17, 2022
A sufficient score to hold off Hinako Shibuno. The Japanese finished second by 2 strokes after not conceding any bogey this Saturday at this Hoakalei Country Club.
Her solid 70 (-2), allows her to overtake the other South Korean on the podium Hye-Jin Choi who finishes 4 strokes behind her compatriot.
No exploit therefore for Brianna Do. The American, out of qualifying, had a more complicated last round with five bogeys and without the slightest birdie. She finally ranks 12th.
Céline Boutier continues on her way
At the gates of the top 20 before the last lap, Celine Boutier broke into the top 10 at the cost of a second consecutive 70 card. The tricolor ideally launched its last round with three birdies on the first 8 holes.
She then gave up some ground to her opponents with two bogeys on 9 and 14 but a final birdie on 16 gave her her 5th top 10 in 7 tournaments this season. With this new very good result, the French number 1 takes her place in the top 5 of the Race to CME, the general classification of the season on the LPGA dominated for the moment by the American Danielle Kang.
Behind follow the Danish Nanna Koerstz Madsen, the Thai nugget Atthaya Thitikul and therefore Céline Boutier.
Perrine Delacour will have alternated the good and the less good this Saturday in Hawaii. After two birdies on the go, she let slip three points on the return. A birdie at 18 allowed him to return to par for the whole tournament and thus take 26th place. She is currently 41st overall.
Remember that 5 French women were involved in this tournament and three did not make the cut. Céline Herbin, Agathe Laisné and Pauline Roussin-Bouchard packed up prematurely on Thursday evening.
Le leaderboard
©Sean M. Haffey / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP
