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I.K. Kim holds off a charging Lexi Thompson at LPGA Marathon Classic
Michael Cohen
In-Kyung Kim of South Korea shot a 63, the best round of the day on Sunday, to win the LPGA Marathon Classic in Sylvania, Ohio, by four strokes.
Kim needed only 28 strokes to complete the front nine at Highland Meadows Golf Club, the lowest on the LPGA since Lydia Ko did so at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship in 2016.
Kim completed 72 holes in 21-under par 263, four better than runner-up Lexi Thompson, who closed with birdies on three of her last four holes. LPGA rookie Nelly Korda, the 54-hole leader, posted a three-over 74 and finished tied for eighth, nine strokes back.
This was Kim’s second win of the season; she won the LPGA Shoprite in June. It is her sixth career victory. She became only the second two-time winner of the 2017 season, joining So Yeon Ryu, the current world No. 1.
Kim has had an unusual year. She missed the cut in both of the last two events she played before this event, the U.S. Women’s Open and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Similarly, before her first win of the season at the ShopRite, she missed the cut in the last event she played before it, the Volunteers of America Texas Shootout.
“I really didn't expect anything,” said Kim. “Maybe I think that's why I played really well today. There were really good names on top of the leader board, and I just wanted to go out and make the most out of it, and today I was able to do that.”