South Korean Kim wins second Ladies 

European Masters in three years

NEWS RELEASE FROM LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR

Düsseldorf – In-Kyung Kim from South Korea saved her best until last as she strolled to a five-shot victory in the ISPS HANDA Ladies European Masters at Golf Club Hubbelrath in Germany.

One behind overnight, the 28-year-old closed with a bogey-free nine-under 63 - the best round of the week - to finish at 17-under par and win the 75,000 euros first prize.

The world number 75 earned her second win in three appearances in the Ladies European Tour’s showcase event, albeit at two different venues. She previously won the title in 2014 at Buckinghamshire Golf Club in England where she also shot a 63, in the third round.

Kim said: “It’s a totally different feeling because then we played in England and now we’re playing in Germany. There is such a big South Korean community in Germany because after the war a lot of people came for work and stayed here. It means a lot to be the only South Korean in the field, so I wanted to play well, but you cannot force golf; it’s four rounds.”

This was Kim’s sixth career victory, and third on the Ladies European Tour, after her win in the 2009 Dubai Ladies Masters. She now intends to take up LET membership with a winner’s exemption category in 3a. However, Belen Mozo of Spain will have to wait for another week after returning a 69 for solo second.

The 27-year-old from Cadiz aced the 13^th hole in the final round, but missed out on winning an Omega watch, as it had already been claimed by Finland’s Noora Tamminen on the same hole earlier in the day. She said: “I wasn’t paying attention to the scores however I did glimpse the scoreboard on 12 and I saw IK Kim minus 15. I knew she was a great player but I didn’t expect it.”

Home heroine Sandra Gal tied for third with Sweden’s Camilla Lennarth, while South African Lee-Anne Pace was fifth and the 2015 champion Beth Allen of the United States tied for sixth with Finland’s Ursula Wikstrom. Burnett was joint second overnight but faded out of contention with a 78 for joint 20^th place.

It was Kim, in her 10^th year as a professional, who called the shots almost at will in the final round, posting nine birdies in delightful conditions.

Kim picked up her first shot on the second hole and followed that with three birdies in a row from the fifth. After turning in four-under, she added another birdie at the 10^th and picked up three more strokes from the 12^th, finishing in style by sinking with a birdie putt of five-feet on the uphill par-4 18^th.

“I really wanted to shoot something lower than 63, because I have shot 63 before, but that is something I cannot control. I had a lot of chances today,” said Kim, who enjoyed learning German and eating the local cuisine on her first visit to Germany. 

“I did my best on every shot from the first day and today it just kind of came together with some good putts. I had 26 putts today. Yesterday I hit the ball as well but the putts didn’t fall.” 

Lennarth birdied the last three holes for a 67 and Gal, who signed off with a 69, was happy with a tie for third, saying: “In-Kyung ran away with it today. We were battling against each other in the last group and didn’t see a leader board for several holes but when we did, she was already so far ahead that we didn’t have a chance.”

Norwegian Marianne Skarpnord finished eighth while Aditi Ashok tied for ninth with fellow LET rookie Angel Yin of the United States and Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall, which was the Indian rookie’s best finish this year on tour.

After a week of sensational weather and world class golf in Germany, the LET remains in Europe for the Evian Championship in France next week, which will be the fifth and final Major of the year.

FINAL TOTALS AND PRIZEMONEY (euros)
 par 284 (4x71)

1	In-Kyung KIM		67	70	71	63	-17	271	€ 75,000
2	Belen MOZO		74	64	69	69	-12	276	€ 45,000
T3	Camilla LENNARTH		69	71	70	67	-11	277	€ 26,250
T3	Sandra GAL		74	68	66	69	-11	277	€ 26,250.00
5	Lee-Anne PACE		65	74	68	71	-10	278	€ 18,000.00
T6	Beth ALLEN		70	73	68	68	-9	279	€ 14,750.00
T6	Ursula WIKSTROM		72	71	67	69	-9	279	€ 14,750.00
8	Marianne SKARPNORD		69	72	71	68	-8	280	€ 12,500.00
T9	Caroline HEDWALL		70	75	69	67	-7	281	€ 11,500.00
T9	Aditi ASHOK		73	69	70	69	-7	281	€ 11,500.00
T9	Angel YIN		69	71	70	71	-7	281	€ 11,500.00
T12	Laura DAVIES		74	74	67	68	-5	283	€ 9,750.00
T12	Melissa REID		71	75	68	69	-5	283	€ 9,750.00
T12	Amelia LEWIS		68	72	73	70	-5	283	€ 9,750.00
T12	Georgia HALL		70	71	71	71	-5	283	€ 9,750.00
16	Olivia COWAN		77	67	71	69	-4	284	€ 8,750.00
T17	Sophia POPOV		73	74	72	66	-3	285	€ 8,250.00
T17	Wei Wei ZHANG		74	71	73	67	-3	285	€ 8,250.00
T17	Kylie WALKER		72	73	72	68	-3	285	€ 8,250.00
T20	Justine DREHER		73	72	73	68	-2	286	€ 7,225.00
T20	Gwladys NOCERA		71	75	71	69	-2	286	€ 7,225.00
T20	Pamela PRETSWELL		68	74	71	73	-2	286	€ 7,225.00
T20	Katie BURNETT		66	70	72	78	-2	286	€ 7,225.00
24	Florentyna PARKER		70	72	73	72	-1	287	€ 6,400.00
T25	Christine WOLF		71	75	75	67	E	288	€ 5,800.00
T25	Malene JORGENSEN		75	71	71	71	E	288	€ 5,800.00
T25	Nicole BROCH LARSEN		76	69	71	72	E	288	€ 5,800.00
T28	Isabelle BOINEAU		71	72	74	72	+1	289	€ 4,900.00
T28	Isi GABSA		70	75	72	72	+1	289	€ 4,900.00
T28	Whitney HILLIER		72	73	70	74	+1	289	€ 4,900.00
T31	Gabriella COWLEY		73	73	76	68	+2	290	€ 3,700.00
T31	Kelsey MACDONALD		73	72	75	70	+2	290	€ 3,700.00
T31	Caroline MASSON		70	73	73	74	+2	290	€ 3,700.00
T31	Leticia RAS-ANDERICA		71	73	72	74	+2	290	€ 3,700.00
T31	Noora TAMMINEN		73	73	70	74	+2	290	€ 3,700.00
T31	Rebecca ARTIS		72	72	71	75	+2	290	€ 3,700.00
T31	Annabel DIMMOCK		71	69	73	77	+2	290	€ 3,700.00
38	Lauren TAYLOR		72	71	75	73	+3	291	€ 2,950.00
T39	Sophie WALKER		75	73	74	70	+4	292	€ 2,775.00
T39	Chiara MERTENS		76	71	70	75	+4	292	€ 2,775.00
T41	Nicole GARCIA		77	71	76	69	+5	293	€ 2,675.00
T41	Trish JOHNSON		78	69	72	74	+5	293	€ 2,675.00
T43	Ariane PROVOT		74	73	75	72	+6	294	€ 2,525.00
T43	Rebecca HUDSON		74	74	73	73	+6	294	€ 2,525.00
T43	Nanna Koerstz MADSEN		75	72	71	76	+6	294	€ 2,525.00
T43	Maha HADDIOUI		75	69	73	77	+6	294	€ 2,525.00
T47	Sarah KEMP		75	73	74	73	+7	295	€ 2,325.00
T47	Linda WESSBERG		73	73	73	76	+7	295	€ 2,325.00
T47	Emma GODDARD		72	72	74	77	+7	295	€ 2,325.00
T47	Minea BLOMQVIST		76	70	70	79	+7	295	€ 2,325.00
T51	Elia FOLCH		71	77	76	72	+8	296	€ 2,125.00
T51	Anne VAN DAM		72	76	74	74	+8	296	€ 2,125.00
T51	Jessica BRADLEY		68	75	78	75	+8	296	€ 2,125.00
T51	Isabella RAMSAY		75	72	74	75	+8	296	€ 2,125.00
T55	Amy BOULDEN		75	73	79	71	+10	298	€ 1,950.00
T55	Titiya PLUCKSATAPORN		76	72	77	73	+10	298	€ 1,950.00
T55	Stacy Lee BREGMAN		74	73	74	77	+10	298	€ 1,950.00
T58	Marta SANZ BARRIO		71	74	84	71	+12	300	€ 1,775.00
T58	Klara SPILKOVA		77	69	83	71	+12	300	€ 1,775.00
T58	Mireia PRAT		70	78	76	76	+12	300	€ 1,775.00
T58	Jessica KARLSSON		76	69	77	78	+12	300	€ 1,775.00
T62	Connie CHEN		75	73	75	78	+13	301	€ 1,625.00
T62	Alex PETERS		75	73	74	79	+13	301	€ 1,625.00
T64	Natalia ESCURIOLA MARTINEZ		72	76	78	77	+15	303	€ 1,525.00
T64	Elina NUMMENPAA		73	73	79	78	+15	303	€ 1,525.00