Kim wins LPGA finale, $1.5m prize

Sei Young beats Hull by one stroke

NAPLES, Florida, Nov 25, (AP): With the richest prize in women’s golf history riding on the outcome, Sei Young Kim delivered the ultimate money putt.

Even if she didn’t even know the score.

Kim was tied for the lead going to the final hole at the CME Group Tour Championship. The nerves were obvious as she missed each of four straight putts from 12 feet or closer.

Moments later, the 26-year-old South Korean took her place in LPGA Tour history.

Kim made the putt of her life, a 25-footer for birdie that broke sharply to the right and into the cup for a 2-under really nervous.”

She just was oblivious to her competition. All day, Kim thought it was Nelly Korda, who started one shot behind and fell back with a pair of costly drives to the left. From the top of a crown at the back of the green, Kim figured a twoputt would be enough.

The crowd cheered. She pumped her fist and fought back tears.

Only later, she said, did she realize what it meant.

“After I made it, I saw the leaderboard,” she said. “I didn’t know that Charley finished at 17 (under). What if I didn’t make it? We would have gone to a playoff and that wouldn’t have been good for me. So, wow!” Wow, indeed. Kim won for the 10th time in her LPGA career, joining Se Ri Pak (25), Inbee Park (19) and Jiyai Shin (11) as South Korean players with at least 10 victories.

This was memorable for the finish – and the prize.

Instead of a $500,000 first-place check and a $1 million bonus to a season points race, CME Globe wanted to award $1.5 million in official money to any of the 60 players who qualified for the season finale. That’s $500,000 more than the previous record prize, $1 million at the US Women’s Open.