Kim rallies, reels in 1st major of career
South Korean heats up late to cap 5-stroke comeback
HOUSTON — The Bermuda grass of south Texas was unlike anything A Lim Kim had ever seen. The U.S. Women’sOpen, with its reputation as the toughest test, was a major she had never played.
Whatdidn’tchangeinafrigidfinalroundatChampionsGolfClubwashowtokeepscore.Andwhenthe 25-year-old from South Korea saw she was trailing and running out of holes, she started attacking flags.
Kimbirdiedherfinalthreeholesandtiedtherecord for the largest comeback in a U.S. Women’s Open, rallying from five shots behind with the a 4-under 67 to win the biggest event in women’s golf.
“Stillcan’treallysoakinthatI’mthechampion,”she said, minutes after being soaked in champagne on a day with temperatures in the 40s.
She won by one shot over Jin Young Ko, the top-ranked player in women’s golf, and Amy Olson, whoplayed her heart out while coping with the grief of her father-in-law’s unexpected death Saturday night in South Dakota.
“I felt very weak and helpless the last couple days, and probably today on the golf course,” Olson said, fightingbacktearsaftera72.“IreallybelievetheLord just carried me through. It makes you realize how much bigger life is than golf. But pleased with my finish overall and myperformance.”
Kim’sspectacularfinishmadeittoughforanyoneto catch her. TwoshotsbehindOlson, she hit 5-iron to 4 feet on the par-3 16th hole to get to 1-under. Thenshe hit8-ironthatrolledouttojustinside2feetonthe17th foratap-inbirdieandashareofthelead.Shecappedit offwith a pitching wedge to just inside 10 feet.
Behind her mask — fitting that the final major championofthispandemic-disruptedyearingolfwas wearing one — the thrill was evident. So was the fist pump, a rare showof emotion for Kim.
“I’ve been eyeing the leaderboard throughout the round and I knew how many shots I was back,” she saidthroughatranslator.“That’sprobablythereason why I tried to hit more aggressive, tried to attack the pins.”
Kim started the final round, delayed to Monday because of rain, in a tie for ninth. No one had ever started in a position that far back and won the U.S. Women’s Open. She became the seventh player to rally from five shots behind in the final round, and the first since Annika Sorenstam at The Broadmoor in 1995.
Olson held her ownamidherheavyheart.Winless in seven years on the LPGATour, she had a two-shot lead on the back nine after 54-hole leader Hinako Shibuno faltered. But she couldn’t doanything about Kim’slatecharge,andOlsonfellbackwhenherhybrid on the par-3 16th bounded over the green and into thick, brown rough, leading to bogey.
She birdied the final hole for a 72 after Kim had already secured the title.
OlsonwassingingJoshGroban’s“YouRaiseMeUp” to keep her in the right frame of mind. She couldn’t thinkofmanyshotsshewantedbackafterthreeearly bogeys. The cold weather, the mud-splotched golf ballsandtheU.S.Women’sOpentesthelpedkeepher mind from wandering.
“I knewIhadtostayverymentally disciplined just to get through the day,” Olson said. “I allowed myself tothinkaboutwhatI’mgratefulfor,andI’vegotalong list.”
Ko, the No. 1 player who only recently returned from South Korea where she rode out the COVID-19 pandemic, also birdied the 18th when it was too late to catch Kim.
Koclosedwitha68,oneofonlysixplayerstobreak par in the final round.
Kimfinishedat3-under281andwon$1million.She added to South Korean dominance of this major, the ninth winner in the last 13 years.
Shibunowastryingtowininherfirsttryatasecond major,havingwontheWomen’sBritishOpenlastyear inherfirsttournamentoutsideJapan.Hershortgame only carried her for so long, however, and she fell out of the lead by starting the back nine with consecutive bogeys.
Shibuno birdied the 18th hole for a 74 and finished two behind. Only four players finished under par.
Atwo-time winner on the Korean LPGA, Kim got into the U.S. Women’s Open off the world ranking whenthepandemickepttheUSGAfromconducting openqualifying.ShehadslippedtoNo.94,thelowestranked player to win the Open since the women’s world ranking began in 2006.
She’s the second non-LPGA member to win a majorthisyear,joiningSophiaPopovattheWomen’s British Open. She also is the third South Korean to win a major. Second-ranked Sei Young Kim won the Women’sPGAandMirimLeewontheANAInspiration — also at No. 94 in the world.