Hyo Joo Kim repelled a late challenge from Nelly Korda for the second straight week, pulling away around the turn and closing with a three-under 69 to claim the Ford Championship by two shots.
Kim, 30, was on pace to break the LPGA 72-hole scoring record of 257 set by Sei Young Kim in 2017 after three early birdies and a week that included two rounds of 61. Those hopes were dented by a pulled tee shot on the par-four eighth that led to a double-bogey when her punch under the trees ran through the sunbaked fairway and into desert scrub. She also missed two five-foot birdie chances and had a three-putt bogey on 16, but still finished at 28-under 260.
Korda, who began the final round four shots back, trimmed the deficit to one after Kim’s double, only for the American to miss a short par putt on nine. A two-shot swing on 10 sealed matters — Kim’s approach hit to 18 inches for birdie while Korda failed to get up-and-down for par. Korda closed with an eagle and a birdie for a 67 but never got closer as Kim held steady.
Kim, who also won the Ford Championship last year, now has back-to-back LPGA victories for the first time in her career, both coming at Korda’s expense. Last week at the Founders Cup she also fended off a Sunday charge from Korda.
“I wanted to ask Nelly how it feels to win back to back,” Kim said with a laugh, referring to Korda’s five straight wins earlier in 2024.
Korda has made three starts this season, finishing 1-2-2; Kim is the only player she has lost to in 2026. “I’m done playing with her,” Korda joked after the round. “Where it went wrong? There’s a couple shots here and there that I would like to get back, more like a couple putts throughout the week. I’m going to miss a bunch of those putts throughout my entire career, and I just can’t get down on myself.”
Minami Katsu of Japan shot a 65 to finish alone in third, while Lydia Ko, who opened the tournament with a 60, wound up fourth, eight shots behind.
Kim moves up to a career-best world No. 4 after her win at the Fortinet Founders Cup, sitting behind Charley Hull (No. 3), Nelly Korda (No. 2) and Jeen-yoo (Jee-nee) Thitikul (No. 1), and is projected to rise to No. 3 on Monday. She joins Inbee Park as the only players since 1980 to have won on tour in their teens, 20s and 30s.