US Women’s Open champion Kim A-lim likes the Champions Golf Club venue so much she said she wants to put up a tent and stay a few more days.
With two weeks quarantine awaiting her back in South Korea it is no surprise that she is reluctant to leave Houston.
Kim, making her US Women’s Open Championship debut, started the final round five strokes back and was trailing leader Amy Olson by two shots through 15 holes when she caught fire on a cold morning to finish the final round on Monday with a 67.
Photo: AFP
She tied the record for the biggest comeback in the tournament.
The 25-year-old’s victory continued her country’s domination of the tournament in the past few years, with nine of the last 13 US Women’s Opens being won by a South Korean golfer.
Kim said it took her some time to adjust to the different conditions at the course.
Photo: AFP
“Back home there’s no Bermuda grass, so it took some time for me to get used to it, but I love this golf course, love this environment. I even said earlier I want to actually put a tent up here and stay a few more days,” said Kim, who birdied her final three holes to sign for a final-round 67.
With the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on this year’s schedule, it was fitting that Kim wore a mask during the tournament.
“Every time I practice I usually wear a mask, so I’m kind of used to it,” she said. “I’m okay to get positive tests for COVID-19, but I don’t want to affect other people, players, a caddie that’s playing within the group, so that’s the reason I wear the mask throughout the round.”
Kim said that the victory, just her third as a professional, had yet to sink in.
“Still can’t really soak in that I’m the champion, it’s so overwhelming just winning this tournament,” she said.
Kim said that she was aware she was trailing heading into the final three holes and knew she would have to step up her game to earn the trophy and the US$1 million in prize money.
“I’d been eyeing the leaderboard throughout the round and I knew how many shots I was back,” she said. “That’s probably the reason why I tried to hit more aggressive, tried to more attack the pins.”
The outcome was a heartbreaking for Olson, who was mourning the passing of her father-in-law, who died unexpectedly on Saturday.
“Coming out this morning I had no idea what to expect,” said Olson, who finished her round of 72 with a birdie. “It was just one of those things I felt very weak and helpless the last couple days, and probably the same went today on the golf course.”
It was the third top 10 finish at a major for Olson, who is still searching for her first win on the LPGA Tour.
World No. 1 Ko Jin-young of South Korea birdied two of her final three holes to finish tied for second alongside Olson.
“I had a great round today,” she said. “I had a couple missed putts, but I finished good.”
South Korea is a major force at the tournament, having produced 10 of the last 16 winners.
Japan’s Hinako Shibuno and the US’ Megan Khang rounded up the top five at the Champions Golf Club, which had no spectators due to the pandemic.
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