LPGA Tournament of Champions: Kim A-lim holds off Nelly Korda to win
2025-02-03
Category: sports

Tournament of Champions final leaderboard-20 A-L Kim (Kor); -18 N Korda (US); -15 L Grant (Swe); -14 M Lee (Aus), J-Y Ko (Kor)Selected others: -13 L Ko (NZ); -10 L Maguire (Ire); -8 A Buhai (SA); -5 C Boutier (Fra)Full leaderboard
Kim A-lim held off a challenge from world number one Nelly Korda to win the LPGA's season-opening Tournament of Champions in Florida.The 2020 US Women's Open winner from South Korea had led after each of the opening three rounds at Lake Buena Vista, Orlando, and held a three-shot advantage over Sweden's Linn Grant before Sunday's final round.American Korda was a further shot adrift but her seven-under-par round of 65, which included nine birdies, including one on the 18th, moved her to within one shot of Kim who still had a hole to play.But the 29-year-old held her nerve to collect her seventh birdie of the day, signing for a 67 to win by two shots."Today it was not my focus. I don't care," Kim said of Korda's pressure."It's a good start but that's all. I'm going to focus on the next tournament and then focus again on my game."It is Kim's third career LPGA title, and a second in three months following her victory at the Lotte Championship in November.Grant finished third at 15 under - one shot ahead of Australian Minjee Lee and Kim's compatriot Ko Jin-young, while defending champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand was a further shot back.The tournament features the LPGA field playing alongside celebrities, athletes and amateurs, with former US ice hockey player Joe Pavelski topping that field - ahead of New York Mets star Jeff McNeil and former baseball player Mark Mulder.