In-Kyung Kim has finally exorcised her major-championship demons.
In 2012, all that stood between the 2005 U.S. Girls’ Junior champion and the ANA Inspiration title was a 14-inch putt. Kim missed it and lost the subsequent playoff to Sun-Young Yoo.
Kim won’t have to face her doubts about being able to close on the big stage again. While the 29-year-old from the Republic of Korea didn’t have her best stuff on Sunday, her 1-under-par 71 was good enough to fend off Jodi Ewart Shadoff’s final-round 64 in the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns in Scotland, notching a two-stroke victory after starting the day six strokes clear of the rest of the field.
2014 U.S. Women’s Open champion and first-round leader Michelle Wie (66) also made a Sunday charge, but neither her effort or Shadoff’s was enough to catch the front-running Kim, who finished at 18-under 270. Wie tied for third at 13-under 275 with Caroline Masson and 2014 Great Britain and Ireland Curtis Cup competitor Georgia Hall, of England.
This was Kim’s 10th win as a professional and third of the season on the LPGA Tour. Three weeks ago she won the Marathon Classic in Ohio and in early June she claimed the ShopRite Classic in Galloway, N.J.
“I almost cried when I won,” said Kim. “Winning is great. It’s a long process to get over 2012. A lot of people helped me. Now I enjoy playing golf again. What it did teach me is to give the same effort to every shot, even the shortest of putts.”
