South Korea’s Sei Young Kim sank a seven-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to win the Blue Bay LPGA at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course on Hainan Island, China.
South Korea’s Sei Young Kim sank a seven-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to win the Blue Bay LPGA at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course on Hainan Island, China.
The 22-year old rookie shot a final-round 2-under 70 to finish one shot clear of Stacy Lewis, Candie Kung and Kim Kaufman at 2-under par 286. It marks her third LPGA Tour victory, all in 2015. She won her first two titles in playoffs and sank a clutch putt to win this week.
“Yeah, I was really nervous,” said Kim. “I just focus, and when I hit the putt, I couldn’t believe it.”
Kim started the day tied for the lead with Kung and was even par for the day through 13 holes. Kung and Lewis both got off to a quick starts, each picking up two birdies in their first three holes. Lewis pulled even at 1-under par when she birdied the par 5 8th hole and took the outright lead for the first time when Kung bogeyed No. 10.
It looked like Lewis would take command on the back nine when she extended the lead to two shots with a birdie on the 11th hole but a two shot swing came on No. 13 when Lewis bogeyed and Kim birdied to get to 1-under par.
Kim took the outright lead for the first time all day with a birdie on the 14th hole. A poor tee shot on the par 3 17th by Kim set up great scoring opportunities for both Lewis and Kung but failed to convert their birdie putts that were both inside four feet. Kim missed her 20-foot par putt to drop into a four-way tie at 1-under par and with Kim Kaufman in the clubhouse.
“On the 17th hole, I try to cut a shot because the pin, there’s no room behind, and I made a mistake,” said Kim. “I was very upset after that hole. My caddie told me, calm down. After two players miss that putt, I got a new opportunity come to me. So yeah, then, yeah, just keep going.”
Kim, Kung and Lewis were all in the final group and all had wedges in on the par 5 18th hole; Lewis leaving hers 20 feet short, Kung nine feet to the right of the hole and Kim seven feet right. Lewis and Kung both missed their birdie opportunities and Kim put hers in the middle of the cup to seal her third win of the year.
“I was like really nervous on the last putt. I can hear my heart pound,” said Kim. “I was just sitting down, yeah. When I hit the ball, I draw in my mind, nothing, nothing, I just focus what I do. That what’s my key.”
She trails only Lydia Ko (5) and Inbee Park (4) in victories this season on Tour. Rolex Rankings No. 1 Lydia Ko shot 2-under par on Sunday and moved from T20 to T8.
Image-LPGA Tour
