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With the outcome shrouded in uncertainty and a playoff looming, the contest was decided at the par-3 17th hole. Lee Se-hee (29, Samchully), who had been locked in a fierce battle for the title with world No. 3 Kim Hyo-joo (31, Lotte), missed a par putt of about 1.4 meters for a bogey. Kim, putting next, saved par and held her one-stroke lead to the end to claim the trophy. Kim showed her "one shot, one kill" prowess by winning both Korea Ladies Professional Golf (KLPGA) Tour events she entered this season.
At the KLPGA Tour Lotte Open (total purse 1.2 billion won) final fourth round held on the 5th at Bear's Best Cheongna GC (par 72) in Incheon, Kim carded a 5-under-par 67 with five birdies and no bogeys. Her final total of 15-under-par 273 edged out runners-up Lee Se-hee, Yoo Hyun-jo, Lee Da-yeon and Park Ye-ji, who finished at 14 under, by one stroke to claim the title. With this, Kim reached 16 career wins in Korea (including one amateur victory) and collected 216 million won in prize money. Her combined domestic and international win total rose to 29, leaving her one step away from 30 wins.
Kim has been soaring on both the Korean and U.S. tours this year. On the U.S. Ladies Professional Golf (LPGA) Tour this season, she won the Fortinet Founders Cup and the Ford Championship in consecutive weeks in March for two victories. She entered nine events in total and finished in the top 10 five times. In May she won the KLPGA Tour's NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship, and two months later she conquered this event, hosted by her main sponsor, completing back-to-back wins in her two domestic appearances.
With this victory, Kim proved especially strong in events hosted by her sponsor Lotte. Starting with the 2012 Lotte Mart Women's Open, which she won as an amateur, she went on to win the 2020 Lotte Cantata Women's Open, the predecessor of the Lotte Open, the 2022 LPGA Tour Lotte Championship, and now this year's Lotte Open.
She also shows good chemistry with the U.S.-Australasia course at Bear's Best Cheongna GC, where the event was held. Before this tournament, she had averaged 69.62 strokes on this course, ranking second in scoring average, and Kim was also the leader in cumulative prize money at this event (272.54 million won).
Starting the day in fifth place, three strokes behind leader Park Ye-ji, Kim put on a "birdie show" with back-to-back birdies at holes 2 and 3, followed by a birdie putt of more than 16 meters at the par-4 4th hole. She trimmed another stroke at the par-5 6th hole to pressure leader Park Ye-ji by one stroke. When Park bogeyed the par-4 11th hole, four players — Kim, Park, Yoo Hyun-jo and Lee Se-hee — briefly shared the lead. Then at the par-4 15th hole, Kim and Lee both made birdies to move into a share of the lead, and the tight contest was decided at the 17th hole, delivering the trophy into Kim's hands.
After the win, Kim said, "I'm even happier to win at my sponsor's event, and I feel proud and gratified to have shown a good performance in front of domestic fans," adding, "I'll head to the Evian Championship with good memories." Kim will compete in the LPGA Tour major Evian Championship, which opens on the 9th.
Lotte's LPGA Tour "rookie" Hwang Yu-min shot 6 under on the day to tie for sixth (11 under), while Choi Hye-jin tied for 25th (6 under). Kim Min-sol, who leads the points races for player of the year, prize money and rookie of the year with three wins this season, finished tied for 12th (9 under).
