THE COLONY, Texas (AP) — Hyo Joo Kim of South Korea started with a five-shot lead and didn’t give anyone much of a chance Sunday, closing with with a 2-under 69 to win The Ascendant LPGA by four shots.
It was the second straight week for a wire-to-wire winner on the LPGA Tour, following Hae Ran Ryu in the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
Bianca Pagdanganan, the big hitter from the Philippines, closed with a 65 to tie for second with Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand, who also shot a 65.
“A five-shot lead feels like a comforting lead, but I did my best to just keep that edge until the end,” Kim said.
Lexi Thompson could only manage a 70 in her final found on the LPGA Tour before she tests her game on the PGA Tour in Las Vegas next week. She finished six shots behind in fifth place and never seriously challenged Kim.
Even so, Thompson said she was happy with the progress. This was her second straight top 10 after going the entire season without such a finish. Her last LPGA victory was more than four years ago, though she did win in a Saudi-funded event last year on the Ladies European Tour.
“Nothing but positives to take from it,” Thompson said.
Asked what aspects of her game needed to work for her in the Shriners Children’s Open, Thompson said, “Everything, really.”
