EWA BEACH, Hawaii — A Lim Kim won the Lotte Championship on Saturday for her second LPGA Tour title, closing with a 4-under 68 for a two-stroke victory over playing partner Nataliya Guseva.
“Super fun,” Kim said. “On the course I feel like more fun. ... I haven’t felt this way in a long time."
A stroke ahead of Guseva entering the day at breezy Hoakalei Country Club, Kim ended a six-hole par streak with a birdie on the par-5 18th. Lim earned $450,000 as her share of the beefed-up Lotte purse that increased from $2 million to $3 million this year to coincide with a move from April to November on the tour calendar.
“Honestly, my focus always same,” said Kim, of South Korea. “Not focus on result. It’s focus on my process and then routine and then thinking and choose my line and then go.”
Kim, 29, did the traditional winner's hula on the No. 18 green with some encouragement.
She jumped from 65th to 22nd in the Race to CME Globe standings to secure a spot in the 60-player season finale that pays $4 million to the winner. She won the U.S. Women’s Open in December 2020.
“I was confident that I would make it to the CME, so I really haven’t given it much thought.” Kim said.
Guseva was trying to become the first Russian winner in LPGA Tour history. The 21-year-old former Miami player parred the final five holes in a 69.
“Obviously, congrats to A Lim for a great game,” Guseva said. “I really did my best out there. I never gave up. Every hole like I gave just my 100% and more than that.”
Kim finished at 18-under 270.
Kailua native Malia Nam shot a 3-over 75 on the final day to finish in 63rd place. Nam, a Kaiser High and USC alumna, hopes to be back next year. She earned $7,282.
"It’s just been a really special week for me," Nam said. "When I was younger, obviously this event was a big deal. I’d come out and watch (when it was at Ko Olina Golf Club). Actually playing in this event is like a full 180."
A double bogey on the par-4 8th hole and a triple bogey on the par-3 12th contributed to her highest score of the week Saturday.
"Just kind of a bit of a struggle today. Made a few too many errors," Nam said.
The tour rookie will chase a higher finish at The Annika Driven by Gainbridge event in Belleair, Fla., next week with a goal of moving into the top 100 of CME Globe standings to retain her card for next year. It is the final event of the year for CME Globe rankings purposes; she stands at 120th after the Lotte.
Auston Kim was third at 15 under after a 67.
“It’s been a long year,” Auston Kim said. “A lot of good lessons and tough moments, but really proud of myself for bouncing back after the tough weeks and being able to play some really solid golf.”
Nasa Hataoka (67) was another stroke back, and fellow Japanese player Yuri Yoshida (69) and Ryann O’Toole (70) were 13 under.
Angela Stanford closed with a 71 to tie for 26th at 5 under in what could be her final LPGA Tour event. The 46-year-old Texan has seven tour victories.
“I really didn’t get emotional until I was looking at my scorecard,” Stanford said. “I said going into today I wanted to be me, I wanted to play my game. I hit every green on the back nine. Throughout my career my iron play was what I relied on, so that kind of made me get teary-eyed.”