Imago
Image courtesy- Imago
Imago
Image courtesy- Imago
The 2023 Lotte Championship drew to a thrilling end at the Hoakalei Country Club on Saturday. The LPGA event saw Australia’s Grace Kim emerge as the winner in a 3-way playoff. The 22-year-old Kim outlasted China’s Yu Liu and South Korea’s Yu Jin Sung to come out at the top of the leaderboard, taking home $300,000 in earnings.
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While Kim’s thrilling win delighted many, it was the third-round leader Sung who stole the limelight. Cameras caught the young golfer being on fleek despite the three-way sudden-death matchup. Sung played at Hoakalei on a sponsor exemption this year after winning the Lotte Open on the Korean LPGA.
Sponsor invite Yu Jin Sung wows golf fans with a boss move
If Sung won against Grace Kim and Yu Liu, she would have become the first sponsor invite to win since Lydia Ko’s victory in 2013 CP Women’s Open. However, the young player will be satisfied with her T2 finish, as she walked home with $159,346 in earnings.
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After the final round of Lotte Championship, all three golfers were at 12-under 276 on the leaderboard. The trio then went to the par-5, first hole for the sudden death playoff. Tensions were high, but the 22-year-old Sung kept her calm. Beth Ann Nichols, a senior writer for Golfweek, took to Twitter to reveal a stunning moment from Hoakalei featuring the young player.
When you’re trying to become the first sponsor invite to win on the LPGA in 10 years … 🤩 pic.twitter.com/S5tsaz1q4Q
— Beth Ann Nichols (@GolfweekNichols) April 16, 2023
While pre-final nerves are expected for most players, it wasn’t the case for the young golfing sensation. The cameras caught Sung touching up her makeup as she readied herself for a dramatic finale. The mind-blowing moment took place on the 72nd hole on Saturday.
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Yu Jin Sung currently competes in the South Korean LPGA, where she clinched the 2022 Lotte Open. She finished in second position at the BC Card Hankyung Ladies Cup in 2021.
Australia’s Grace Kim wins the 2023 Lotte Championship
27-year-old LPGA star Yu Liu shot a sensational 8-under 64 in the final round to power her way into the playoff. Meanwhile, South Korea’s Yu Jin Sung shot a 69 and Australia’s Grace Kim fired a blistering 4-under 68. After the fourth and final round, the three golf stars finished at 12-under 276 after 72 holes. Despite big names like Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko missing from action, the LPGA event ensured great excitement to fans.
The trio then went to par-5, the first hole for the sudden death playoff round. It was during this round that Kim produced a birdie to win against the other two golfers. This is Kim’s first-ever tour triumph, as the young golfer walked away with $300,000 in earnings. The win also brought her 500 points in the race to the CME Globe, with the 60 players leading in points getting into the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.
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Chevron Championship, the first LPGA Major of the year, is up next. What did you think of Sung’s amazing move at the Lotte Championship? Let us know in the comments below!
Written by
Edited by
Manaal Siddiqui