Grace golfs way to first LPGA title victory at just 22

GREENACRE golfer Grace Kim has won her first LPGA Tour title, claiming the Lotte Championship in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, after a sudden playoff on Saturday.
The 22-year-old rookie who plays at Avondale Golf Club, did it the hard way closing with back-to-back birdies to just make the playoff at 12 under par with China’s Yu Liu and South Korean Yu Jin Sung.
Kim displayed nerves of steel in the playoff, hitting a 3-wood off the deck to just right of the par-5 18th green and then getting up-and-down for birdie, which was more than enough.
Liu, who shot the round of the day, an eight-under 64, could only manage a par on the extra hole, while Yu Jin Sung, who had led most of the tournament, made a bogey.
“I definitely wanted to have a good go at it knowing that the green wasn’t the best, I guess, angle in from where we were,” Kim said.
“I would have to admit that I wasn’t planning to go that aggressive. I did push it right.
“So just letting you guys know. Yeah, I guess, yeah, I got lucky.”
Kim’s victory came in just her third start on the LPGA Tour since earning full playing rights by virtue of her 4th place finish on the secondary Epson Tour last year.
She will receive $US300,000 but also has guaranteed her playing rights for the next two years on the LPGA.
The win also guarantees the young gun a start in next week’s First Major of the year, the Chevron Championship, to be held in Texas and will be a huge confidence boost for the rookie.