Kim sets record for LPGA with 31-under total

ONEIDA, Wis. — Sei Young Kim watched her 12-foot birdie putt break toward the hole and disappear into the cup, putting her in territory no one had ever been on the LPGA Tour.

She reached 30-under par in the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic.

And she wasn’t finished.

Kim added yet another birdie, closed with a 7-under 65 and wound up her historic week Sunday at 31 under for a nine-shot victory.

“I never thought I’d shoot 31 under,” Kim said. “I really feel incredible.”

She was every bit of that in a week so dominant that she now has two LPGA scoring records all to herself.

Kim’s 31 under broke by four shots the record she had shared with Annika Sorenstam. Kim won the 2016 Founders Cup at 27 under, while Sorenstam won the 2001 Standard Register Ping at 27 under, the tournament where the Swede shot 59.

Kim also set the 72-hole scoring record at 257, finishing with three straight pars to break the mark by one shot.

The 25-year-old from South Korea opened with a 63, followed with a 65 and shot a 64 on Saturday to reach 24 under, which tied Sorenstam’s 54-hole record in 2003 at the Mizuno Classic in Japan, a 54hole event.

The only blemish for Kim all week at Thornberry Creek was a double bogey in the second round Friday. She had 31 birdies and one eagle, another record for most sub-par holes in a tournament. Kim hit 67 out of 72 greens in regulation.

“I had the double bogey on 17. That was the only one I had where I missed the shot. It’s crazy,” Kim said.

Carlota Ciganda of Spain lost a ball and made double bogey on the 18th hole but still shot 64 to finish alone in second, nine shots behind.