LPGA veteran Kim Hyo-joo ready to ‘pour everything I have’ into U.S. Women’s Open

A seven-time LPGA winner in the midst of a strong season, South Korean veteran Kim Hyo-joo says she is ready to put forth her best effort at the second major tournament of the year this week.

Kim will be one of 25 South Koreans teeing off at the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills in Erin, Wisconsin, starting Thursday (local time). The world No. 7 has an LPGA win and a Ladies European Tour win this year. At the season’s first major in April, the Chevron Championship, Kim lost in a record-setting five-way playoff.

In an interview transcript released by the U.S. Golf Association on Thursday, Kim said she wants to keep the positive momentum going this week.

“I’ve been having a pretty good season, and I hope this will continue through the end,” Kim said. “I am going to pour everything I have into this week.”

Kim has one career major title to her credit, the 2014 Evian Championship. Her closest call at the U.S. Women’s Open came in 2018, when she overcame a seven-stroke deficit against Ariya Jutanugarn before losing to the Thai star in a playoff.

“I have some lingering disappointments from 2018,” Kim said. “I will try to wash them away this week.”

Kim, who is in third place in the LPGA Player of the Year points standings, said she has never previously played at Erin Hills, a par-72, 6,835-yard course with only five trees.

“This has the feel of a links-style course. There are few trees, and it gets windy here,” Kim said. “It’s a long course. Just like at any other U.S. Women’s Open, the setup will be really difficult.”

Joining Kim in the Korean contingent will be Hwang You-min, one of six KLPGA players in the field. This will be Hwang’s U.S. Women’s Open debut.

Hwang is seventh in average driving distance on the KLPGA Tour this season at 252.4 yards, which would only put her in 121st place in the LPGA, a hair ahead of Kim.

“I don’t think I’d be considered a long hitter here. The course is quite long, and there are some challenging holes,” Hwang said. “I will try to take pars where I can, instead of going for birdies. I will try to make the cut.”

Hwang, 22, said her ultimate goal is to reach the LPGA Tour.

“After wrapping up the Korean tour season, I want to enter the LPGA qualifying tournament,” Hwang said. “I am dreaming of playing on the LPGA Tour someday, and I am really looking forward to playing at this tournament.”