Kim sets LPGA mark with 31-under total at Thornberry

Tuesday, 10 July 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

South Korea’s Kim Sei-young shattered the LPGA’s scoring record on Sunday while winning the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic in Oneida, Wisconsin by nine strokes.

Kim closed with a 7-under-par 65, leaving her at 31-under 257 for the tournament. The previous LPGA 72-hole record was 27 under par, set by Annika Sorenstam at the 2001 Standard Register Ping and tied by Kim at the 2016 JTBC Founders Cup.

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda matched the low score of the day, 64, to claim second place at 22-under 266.

With Kim entering the final round holding an eight-shot lead, the only question was whether she would continue to tear up Thornberry Creek’s Legends Championship Course to overtake Sorenstam’s record.

That proved to be no challenge to Kim, 25, who birdied the first hole and cruised home with a bogey-free round. For the tournament, she never recorded a bogey, with her only misstep being a double bogey at No. 17 on Friday.

Kim wound up with 31 birdies and one eagle on the third hole on Saturday. The 32 holes under par are another record, breaking the mark of 30 set by Brittany Lincicome, Gerina Pillar and Lexi Thompson, all three at the 2017 Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic.

She hit 43 of 56 fairways, and 67 of 72 greens in regulation. Kim required just 115 putts over the 72 holes.

The win was the seventh of Kim’s LPGA career, her first since she captured the Citibanamex Lorena Ochoa Match Play in May 2017. She has yet to win a major title.

The Thornberry first-place check of $ 300,000 pushed Kim’s career earnings past $ 5 million, making her the 61st player to reach that plateau in LPGA history.

Kim and Brooke Henderson are the only players to have registered LPGA wins in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist and American Emma Talley, both of whom shot 67 on Sunday, and South Korea’s Amy Yang, who closed with a 68, tied for third at 20 under. Yang was alone in second place after the third round.

England’s Bronte Law (final-round 67) claimed sixth place at 18 under, and eight players tied for seventh at 17 under.