EL DORADO -- Hyemin Kim, of Seoul, South Korea, secured her second career Symetra Tour title Sunday with a 1-over-par 73 in the final round at the 2018 Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout at the Mystic Creek Golf Course.
"I really didn't expect this to happen," Kim said. "I feel so amazing, of course, and just wish that my mom was here to see it."
There was some doubt along the way on Sunday afternoon. Kim bogeyed three of her first eight holes. The last bogey dropped her to 3-under-par and into a three-way tie atop the leaderboard with Sandy Choi, also of Seoul, and playing partner Casey Danielson, of Osceola, Wis.
"I was two shots ahead, but my start was really tough making a bunch of bogeys," said Kim, who carded a birdie on three of the next four holes to regain a three-stroke advantage. "After No. 8, so many people were at 3-under par and I couldn't stop thinking about not making bogey. It didn't help me at all, but after I made birdie on No. 9, I felt more confident and started to make putts."
Kim never looked back as even another bogey on No. 13 did not slow her down. The three-shot margin would not change.
Brittany Benvenuto, of Langhorne, Penn., came in behind Kim for a solo second finish. Ruixin Liu, of Dalian, China; Lauren Kim, Los Altos, Calif.; and Volvik Race for the Card No. 1 Dottie Ardina, from Laguna, Philippines, all tied for third at 1-under-par overall.
After the trophy ceremony, Kim announced she will donate $5,000 of her $22,500 winner's check to Ladies Professional Golf Association United States Golf Association Girls Golf. She previously donated her $15,000 winnings from her first Symetra Tour victory at the POC Med Golf Classic last year in California to the program.
"I think that's really important to the community because if there is no girls golf, then there is no future to the LPGA Tour," Kim said. "We have to encourage more junior golfers as much as we can. I think that's our future for sure."
Kim is not among the competitors for the Guardian Championship at Capitol Hill on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Prattville, Ala.. She said she will instead take a week to heal a nagging shoulder injury and get her body ready for the final two events. Meanwhile, a 120-player field now navigates to the Heart of Dixie for the second annual event from Sept. 21-23.
The Guardian Championship is followed by the IOA Golf Classic the following weekend in Florida. The Symetra Tour Championship is scheduled for Oct. 4-7 in Daytona Beach, Fla., with a purse of $225,000.
Danielson captured her fifth top 10 finish in her sixth Symetra Tour start of the year. The Stanford graduated struggled to a 4-over-par in the final round, but she finished in a tie for sixth at even-par.
"This one doesn't feel quite as good, but still excited for another top-10 and turning in some solid golf," said Danielson, who jumped seven spots to No. 35 in the Volvik Race for the Card with the performance at Mystic Creek.
"It played really tough and I lost my patience out there today. That stood out to me as something I need to work on and then just cleanup some little things, but not change too much except the mindset."
Danielson is among the field for the Guardian Championship and will tee it up as the last player in the IOA Golf Classic field, based on exemption, before competing in the Symetra Tour Championship.
"Taking it easy the first half of the season put some fire in me and I'm excited for more opportunities to work my way up the money list," Danielson said. "I still have some goals to reach this year, but have been playing great golf and chugging along."
The Volvik Race for the Card saw plenty of shifting within the top 10 after the 18th tournament of the season. The win and $22,500 winner's check moved Kim up 66 spots to No. 31, having earned $28,974 through 15 events played.
Ardina has earned $83,171 this season. She is followed in the standings by Stephanie Meadow, of Jordanstown, Northern Ireland, at $61,308; Linnea Strom, of Hovas Sweden, at $59,939; Elizabeth Szokol, of Winnetka, Ill., at $58,346; and Charlotte Thomas, of Guildford, England, at $57,389.
Liu leads the bottom half of the top 10 at $55,124. The rest of the top 10 features Isi Gabsa, from Munich, Germany, at $53,854; Jenny Haglund, from Karlstad, Sweden, at $52,927; Pavarisa Yoktuan, from Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand, at $52,454; and Stephanie Kono, from Honolulu, Hawaii, at $49,829.
Sports on 09/18/2018