S. Korean LPGA veteran Kim Hyo-joo defends European Tour title at home

South Korean LPGA star Kim Hyo-joo defended her Ladies European Tour (LET) title on home soil Sunday.

Kim shot seven-under 209 at the 54-hole the Aramco Korea Championship at New Korea Country Club in Goyang, on the northwestern outskirts of Seoul, for a two-shot victory over Chiara Tamburlini of Switzerland. Kim earned US$225,000 in the winner’s check.

Kim, world No. 8, carded a three-under 69 in the final round to deny Tamburlini, who put up a 68, her fourth LET title.

“I am so pleased to have come here as the defending champion and win again,” Kim said. “I am especially happy to have created great memories with my fans here. The whole week has felt like a birthday.”

Kim entered the final round alone at the top at four-under, one ahead of Lee-Anne Pace of South Africa. Kim stumbled a bit with a bogey at the par-3 fourth but responded with a birdie at the par-4 sixth.

After a birdie at the par-3 11th, Kim also made birdies on both of the two par-5 holes on the back nine, the 13th and the 17th.

Tamburlini, who won three LET tournaments in 2024, made her final round charge with five birdies on the front nine but had just one more birdie the rest of the way to settle for second place.

South Korean amateur Park Seo-jin finished in third place at four-under 212 after pouring in eight birdies en route to a 65 on Sunday.

Kim won last year’s event in wire-to-wire fashion, as the LET made its South Korea debut.

This was Kim’s third LET victory, with her first having come at the 2014 Evian Championship, an LPGA major co-sanctioned by the LET.

In March, Kim claimed her seventh career LPGA title at the Ford Championship.

Kim said she was more nervous on the front nine than she normally is at a tournament, but that didn’t mean she doubted she could win the tournament again.

“I love this golf course. And because I had fond memories from last year, I was confident I could win my second straight tournament,” Kim said. “The birdie on the 17th hole allowed me to relax a bit on the final hole.”

Kim, who turns 30 in July, added, “I’d like to start my 30s well, and hopefully, I can accomplish my goal of winning a major title.”