Sei Young Kim started her Sunday with the lead at the CME Group Tour Championship and held it for 17 holes.
She stood on the tee of the 18th hole at Tiburon Golf Club and suddenly she found herself tied for the lead when Charlie Hull rolled in a dramatic birdie putt, her third straight to finish a round of 66 that got her to 17-under par — the number Kim stood at with one hole to play.
Kim’s task was daunting — make birdie or go into a playoff for $1.5 million — the richest single prize in the history of women’s golf.
The nine-time winner on the LPGA Tour spent most of the day fighting off challenges from Nelly Korda, Danielle Kang and Brooke Henderson. Kang put on the day’s best show with a closing 65 that gave her the lead in the clubhouse until Hull’s birdie-birdie-birdie performance over the final three holes.
Kim found the fairway then saw her approach settle 25 feet from the cup. Hull was already getting ready for a playoff.
Kim put a perfect stroke on her putt and as it nestled at the hole, it looked like it might stay short. But at the last moment, it had just enough to fall in for the winning birdie.
Kim’s two-under par 70 got her to 18-under and put the massive first place money in her bank account.
“I didn’t know Charley finished at 17 (under),” Kim said afterward. “What if I couldn’t make it? I could go to a playoff. It’s not good for me. It was really nervous when walking through hole 18. I was like: ‘OK, not a big deal. Try to play like a practice round.’ Even then, I was really nervous.”
Nerves aside, the putt fell and Kim celebrated while Hull thought of what might have been. “I gave it my best shot,” said Hull, who won $480,000 for solo second place. It was enough to make a mediocre year a lot better. She earned just $405,961 in her previous 21 events this season.
Korda, who started the day just a shot behind Kim, tied for the lead with a birdie on the fourth hole. Things started going south for her when she failed to birdie the par-five sixth, then took another bogey at the ninth. Another bogey at the 11th put her three shots behind. She’d never recover although a birdie at the closing hole earned her a tie for third with Kang at 16-under.
Korda, who could have moved to No. 2 in the world with a win, said the $1.5 million wasn’t something that effected her. “I thought about it once today,” Korda said of the money. “I was just out there trying to play some golf.”
4 Comments
baxter cepeda
Deserving champ.
Funny Nelly herself mentioned the money creating pressure earlier in the week.
But the real story is the format,
#LOVE IT!
I’m still bitter about 5 majors but Whan has my appreciation with this 5$ million purse and perfect finale.
It was literally awesome watching the top 6o ladies competing for this special prize, no confusion, no systems, no head starts, just put up or shut up.
I don’t even know what position Kim entered the Globe finals, but that’s the beauty of it, unless it’s a Charlie with the last golden ticket, it doesn’t really matter. Just gotta be in it to win it.
Whan already reduced the field from 7o, and it is arguably still too big, but it’s also perfect. The more the merrier. The prizes would be more dramatic with a smaller field.
Hopefully these purses only continue to grow, and before we know it regular tourney champs are making Half million and up and the globe champ alone is taking home 5 mill. And up.
Imagine the pressure then…
Tom Edrington
For sure, this was a lot of dough for the girls and yes, it was fun to watch. I think we’re seeing a changing of the guard in American golf with Lexi starting to fade a bit….
baxter cepeda
Yes and no on Lexi.
Lexi is like Michelle, ultra talented but questionable technique imo. The mind seems to get in the way too. And Injuries.
Those huge Lexi gouges don’t seem to work for her like they used to.
I would like to see Lexi try competing by picking it clean…see what happens.
Tom Edrington
In other words, a little more shallow coming into the ball…..I totally agree!