Hyo Joo Kim showcased championship mettle Sunday at the Fortinet Founders Cup, weathering Nelly Korda's furious charge to claim a one-stroke victory at Sharon Heights Golf Club. The 30-year-old South Korean completed her wire-to-wire triumph with a final-round 73, finishing at 16-under 272 for her first win since last year's Ford Championship.
"I don't think I was necessarily shaken up or my emotions were all over the place," Kim said through an interpreter. "I was just trying to keep my focus on my shots and what I was doing." This mental toughness proved crucial as Korda erased Kim's five-shot overnight lead with six birdies in an eight-hole stretch.
The tournament turned into a gripping duel on the back nine, with Kim reclaiming control through precise shot-making. After both players bogeyed the 12th, Kim delivered a pivotal birdie on the 14th to restore a two-stroke cushion. The 17th hole produced the championship's defining moment when Kim executed a spectacular flop shot from deep rough to save par.
"I think just in the back nine my two par saves were probably the things I'm proudest about today," Kim admitted. "Just because my shots weren't playing as well." Korda's hopes faded when she three-putted the same 17th green, missing a crucial 3-footer that would have kept pressure on the leader.
"Obviously, something like 17 stings, so it is what it is," Korda said. "It's golf. It's a quick turnaround. There is next week. So, just going to take all the positives." The world No. 2's final-round 69 left her one stroke shy of forcing a playoff.
Kim's victory marked her ninth LPGA Tour title and second Founders Cup triumph, having previously won the event in 2015. The win capped a dominant week that began with a first-round 63 featuring a hole-out eagle. Sei Young Kim and Jin Hee Im shared third at 11-under, while world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul finished tied for 14th.
The LPGA Tour now shifts to Phoenix for the Ford Championship, where Kim will defend her 2023 title. With this confidence-boosting victory, the seasoned champion has positioned herself as a formidable contender as the season progresses.