LPGA\s lowest-ever finisher, Hyoju Kim looks to bounce back
First-place finisher falls just short
Head-to-head in the final event of the season tomorrow
Finish at least 1 stroke behind the tee taker.
Kim Hyo-ju (pictured) will be going for the lowest stroke average award, the Bear Trophy, at the final event of the season on the U.S. Women"s Professional Golf (LPGA) Tour. The award is given to the player with the lowest stroke average among players who have played at least 70 rounds in a season, and is earned by maintaining good form throughout the season. Kim has nine top-10 finishes this season, including a win at the Ascendant LPGA last month.
Hyo Joo Kim will next compete in the LPGA Tour"s CME Group Tour Championship on April 16 at Tiburon Golf Club (Par 72) in Naples, Florida, USA. The final event of the season will feature only the top 60 players in CME Globe Points based on season-long performance. Hyo Joo Kim is fourth in CME Globe Points (2,355).
Kim is attempting to win the lowest stroke average title for the first time since her LPGA Tour debut in 2015. Through 14 days, her stroke average of 69.689 is second, just 0.013 strokes behind Thailand"s Ataya Thititjerin (69.676). Kim, who has led the division since the middle of the season, missed the Annika Driven event, which concluded on Wednesday, allowing Thititjer to take the lead. Kim will need to finish the tournament with at least one stroke less to regain the lead.
Six South Koreans have lifted the Bear Trophy, starting with Park Se-ri in 2003. The last winner was Jin Young Ko in 2019. With a stroke average of 69.955, Ko ranks third in the category and could win the title for the second-lowest individual score depending on how she finishes the tournament. Jin is fifth in CME Globe Points (1970).
Hyoju Kim, who is sixth on the season earnings list ($2,048,856), is still in contention for the prize. She is $1.2347 million behind
the money leader, Lilia Vu (USA - $3.252 million). The first-place prize is $2 million and the runner-up prize is $550,000.