[Sports Today reporter Lee Sang-pil] Kim Hyo-joo claimed her second straight victory and successfully defended her title.
Kim carded a 3-under 69 in the final round on the 30th (Korea time) at the LPGA Tour Ford Championship, played at Whirlwind Golf Club’s Cattail Course in Phoenix, Arizona (par 72 / 6,675 yards). She logged six birdies, one bogey and one double bogey. The event carried a total purse of $2.25 million.
Kim finished at 28-under 260, holding off a charge from Nelly Korda (U.S.), who closed at 26-under 262, to win by two strokes.
The defending champion from last year, Kim successfully kept her crown and completed back-to-back titles at this event. Coming off last week’s victory at the Fortinet Founders Cup, she lifted a second straight trophy after another tight battle with Korda.
This marks the first time Kim has recorded two LPGA wins in a single season. She previously won the Evian Championship in 2014 as a non-member and joined the LPGA Tour full time in 2015, picking up one win each in 2015, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025. This latest triumph is her second of the season and the ninth of her career.
Kim earned 500 CME Globe points and a winner’s purse of $337,500 (about 450 million KRW). She now leads the CME Globe standings (1,258 points), the money list ($939,640), the wins list (2) and the Player of the Year points race (69). Her scoring average (67.63) sits second, closely trailing Korda (67.09).
Kim began the final round with a four-shot lead over Korda. She opened with consecutive birdies at Nos. 4 and 5, added another birdie at 7 and seemed to be coasting.
A surprising double bogey at 8 brought a scare and cut the lead to as little as one.
Kim steadied herself with clutch birdies at 10 and 12 to rebuild separation. A bogey at 16 followed, but she answered with a birdie at 17 and closed with a par at 18 to secure a two-shot victory.
“I feel amazing — I can’t really put it into words. It still feels unreal,” Kim said. “I carried the good energy from last week and won on a course that holds good memories. I want to keep this momentum going.”
She credited her putting for the win. “My putting was great this week. Even the long putts fell, which kept my scores low,” she said.
On facing Korda in back-to-back title races, Kim added, “It was great to be competing alongside Korda. Her swing is so impressive — I found myself thinking, ‘Wow.’ We battled hard right to the end.”
“My season goal was two wins, and I’ve achieved that. I’ll need to set a new target,” she said, signaling her hunger for more titles.
Korda shot a 5-under in the final round to finish 26-under 262, two strokes back. Minami Katsu (Japan) finished third at 23-under 265, and Lydia Ko (New Zealand) was fourth at 20-under 268.
Jeon In-ji finished fifth at 19-under 269. Yoon I-na tied for sixth at 18-under 270 with Mimi Rhodes (England). Lee So-mi and Lee Il-hee tied for 15th at 14-under 274, while Yoo Hae-ran, An Na-rin and Im Jin-hee tied for 29th at 12-under 276.
Meanwhile, Korean players have now won three consecutive LPGA events: Lee Mi-hyang captured the Blue Bay LPGA last month, followed by Kim Hyo-joo’s back-to-back wins at the Founders Cup and the Ford Championship.
[Sports Today reporter Lee Sang-pil sports@stoo.com]
「The closest, most fun news ⓒ Sports Today」
Kim carded a 3-under 69 in the final round on the 30th (Korea time) at the LPGA Tour Ford Championship, played at Whirlwind Golf Club’s Cattail Course in Phoenix, Arizona (par 72 / 6,675 yards). She logged six birdies, one bogey and one double bogey. The event carried a total purse of $2.25 million.
Kim finished at 28-under 260, holding off a charge from Nelly Korda (U.S.), who closed at 26-under 262, to win by two strokes.
The defending champion from last year, Kim successfully kept her crown and completed back-to-back titles at this event. Coming off last week’s victory at the Fortinet Founders Cup, she lifted a second straight trophy after another tight battle with Korda.
This marks the first time Kim has recorded two LPGA wins in a single season. She previously won the Evian Championship in 2014 as a non-member and joined the LPGA Tour full time in 2015, picking up one win each in 2015, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025. This latest triumph is her second of the season and the ninth of her career.
Kim earned 500 CME Globe points and a winner’s purse of $337,500 (about 450 million KRW). She now leads the CME Globe standings (1,258 points), the money list ($939,640), the wins list (2) and the Player of the Year points race (69). Her scoring average (67.63) sits second, closely trailing Korda (67.09).
Kim began the final round with a four-shot lead over Korda. She opened with consecutive birdies at Nos. 4 and 5, added another birdie at 7 and seemed to be coasting.
A surprising double bogey at 8 brought a scare and cut the lead to as little as one.
Kim steadied herself with clutch birdies at 10 and 12 to rebuild separation. A bogey at 16 followed, but she answered with a birdie at 17 and closed with a par at 18 to secure a two-shot victory.
“I feel amazing — I can’t really put it into words. It still feels unreal,” Kim said. “I carried the good energy from last week and won on a course that holds good memories. I want to keep this momentum going.”
She credited her putting for the win. “My putting was great this week. Even the long putts fell, which kept my scores low,” she said.
On facing Korda in back-to-back title races, Kim added, “It was great to be competing alongside Korda. Her swing is so impressive — I found myself thinking, ‘Wow.’ We battled hard right to the end.”
“My season goal was two wins, and I’ve achieved that. I’ll need to set a new target,” she said, signaling her hunger for more titles.
Korda shot a 5-under in the final round to finish 26-under 262, two strokes back. Minami Katsu (Japan) finished third at 23-under 265, and Lydia Ko (New Zealand) was fourth at 20-under 268.
Jeon In-ji finished fifth at 19-under 269. Yoon I-na tied for sixth at 18-under 270 with Mimi Rhodes (England). Lee So-mi and Lee Il-hee tied for 15th at 14-under 274, while Yoo Hae-ran, An Na-rin and Im Jin-hee tied for 29th at 12-under 276.
Meanwhile, Korean players have now won three consecutive LPGA events: Lee Mi-hyang captured the Blue Bay LPGA last month, followed by Kim Hyo-joo’s back-to-back wins at the Founders Cup and the Ford Championship.
[Sports Today reporter Lee Sang-pil sports@stoo.com]
「The closest, most fun news ⓒ Sports Today」
