Kim in no hurry to depart after huge comeback

HOUSTON • US Women's Open champion Kim A-lim likes the Champions Golf Club venue so much she said she wants to put up a tent and stay a few more days.

With two weeks' quarantine awaiting her back in South Korea, it is no surprise she is reluctant to leave Houston.

Kim, making her US Women's Open debut, rallied from a five-stroke deficit in the final round to seal her first Major title with a one-shot victory, tying the record for biggest comeback in the tournament's history. She was the seventh player to do so, and the first since Annika Sorenstam in 1995.

The 25-year-old's victory also continued her country's domination of the tournament in recent years, with nine of the last 13 US Women's Opens being won by a South Korean golfer.

Kim said it took her some time to adjust to the different conditions at the course.

"Back home there's no Bermuda grass, so it took some time for me to get used to it," she said.

"But I love this golf course, love this environment. I even said earlier I want to actually put a tent up here and stay a few more days.

"Still can't really soak in that I'm the champion."

However, she ran into trouble after she birdied the final three holes for a four-under 67 and a three-under 281 total that catapulted her to her win on Monday.

As she sat in front of a TV in the players' dining area watching the competitors with a chance to catch her, she fumbled with her phone, which was vibrating with messages from family members and friends back home in South Korea who had stayed up all night to watch her round.

The phone fell to the bottom of her golf bag and Kim removed all her clubs to retrieve it while, one after the other, her challengers fell by the wayside.

"I'd been eyeing the leaderboard throughout the round and I knew how many shots I was back," she said. "That's probably the reason why I tried to hit more aggressive, tried to more attack the pins."

Hinako Shibuno of Japan, the 54-hole leader, could not catch Kim. She had held a one-stroke lead after Sunday's final round was postponed by inclement weather, but bogeyed the penultimate hole the next day and finished fourth at one-under 283 with a closing 74.

Kim's compatriots, Park In-bee and world No. 1 Ko Jin-young, both carded the second-lowest score of the day, 68. Ko was one stroke short of Kim at two-under 282, while Park was in a three-way tie for sixth at two-over 286.

American Amy Olson, who was playing after the sudden death on Saturday night of her father-in-law from a heart attack, tied for second with Ko with a 72.

Kim, who is not a member of the LPGA, earned US$1 million (S$1.34 million) for the victory. She also is eligible for a two-year Tour membership, but said she is not sure if she will join next year.

The decision would likely require several major disruptions to her life.

"Once I go back home, I'll think about it and see."

NYTIMES, REUTERS