Hull pipped to record prize fund in women’s game

CME Group Tour Championship report: What happened at Tiburon Golf Club?

South Korean star Sei Young Kim claimed the biggest ever prize in women’s golf as she won the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship on 18-under.

Kim claimed the $1.5 million winners’ cheque as well as her 10th LPGA Tour title and it is the first time in her LPGA career that she has recorded a wire-to-wire victory.

For $1.5 million…

Sei Young Kim wins the @CMEGroupLPGA with a birdie on the 18th‼️#RaceToCMEGlobe 🏆 pic.twitter.com/IoyTW4sB9M

— #RaceToCMEGlobe (@LPGA) November 24, 2019

There was drama until the very end as Kim holed a huge birdie putt at the last to eclipse Charley Hull’s clubhouse score.

She began the week shooting the lowest score on Thursday with an opening 65 and this set the tone for the remaining rounds. Rounds of 67 and 68 the following two days saw her set up what looked to be a duel with Nelly Korda but there was plenty of drama ahead.

Korda and Kim played alongside Caroline Masson on Sunday but the German was never really in the contest, instead the main challengers came from the preceding groups.

Danielle Kang blitzed her way through the field having started seven shots off the pace and recorded a closing 65 to put her in contention but she ended up two shots shy.

Here comes Danielle! 👀

Danielle Kang eagles the 17th hole to move to 16-under, just one stroke off the lead

Watch live now on NBC! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/YiWgroLdNA

— #RaceToCMEGlobe (@LPGA) November 24, 2019

England’s Hull was the player who really forced Kim’s hand on 18 having tied the lead with a birdie on her last hole. The Englishwoman birdied five of her last seven holes.

.@HullCharley's last 7 holes:

🐦
🐦
Par
Par
🐦
🐦
🐦

Watch now on NBC! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/2uqJ6JIYJz

— #RaceToCMEGlobe (@LPGA) November 24, 2019

Prior to her stunning closing putt Kim had struggled to hole anything of note on the back nine and actually missed several short putts. Bogeys at 3, 9 and 14 challenged her but in the end she used her previous winning experience to get over the line.

Korda also struggled to hole many significant putts and was harshly punished when missing the fairway. The American only missed five fairways all week but two of them led to drops and another saw her play out sideways and ultimately this hindered her ability to take advantage of Kim’s mistakes.

CME Group Tour Championship report: What next for the LPGA Tour?

The LPGA has recently announced its 2020 schedule and  is expected to announce a new major TV deal in the US so there is plenty of hope that prize pots of this ilk may become more common in the women’s game.