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In-form Korean veteran Kim Hyo-joo goes for 2nd career LPGA major in Wales

Published: 29 Jul. 2025, 15:50

Korea's Kim Hyo-joo plays off the 1st tee during the Women's Scottish Open at the Dundonald Links, Irvine, Scotland, July 27. [AP/YONHAP]

Days after her runner-up finish in Scotland, Korea's Kim Hyo-joo will take aim at her second career LPGA major title in Wales starting Thursday.

Kim will be among 144 players teeing off at the AIG Women's Open at the par-72 Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in Porthcawl, Wales, with $9.5 million in total purse up for grabs and the champion taking home $1,425,000. It will be the last of five LPGA majors in 2025.

After finishing second to Lottie Woad of England at the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open on Sunday, Kim moved up two spots to reach No. 8 in the world rankings — the second-highest position for a Korean player behind only seventh-ranked Ryu Hae-ran.

Kim, though, is having a stronger season than Ryu. Both have won an LPGA tournament each this year, but Kim is fourth in the Player of the Year standings on the strength of her five top-10 finishes. Ryu is 19th, having recorded just one other top-10 showing aside from her victory.

Kim is also fourth overall in scoring average at 69.88 and third in both putts per round with 28.68 and in driving accuracy with 81.4 percent.

This photo provided by the R&A shows a flag bearing the logo of the AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in Porthcawl, Wales, on July 28. [YONHAP]

In scrambling percentage, which measures the rate at which a player makes par or better after missing the green, Kim is third on the tour at 66.2 percent.

At her best, Kim is a steady ball striker who keeps finding fairways and avoids big numbers with her deft short game and putting.

The 30-year-old will now try to build on her recent experience of playing links-style golf, with undulating terrain, deep bunkers and windy conditions coming into play.

Kim won her maiden major title at the 2014 Evian Championship, before even becoming an LPGA member. This year, though, she has had an up-and-down run through the first four majors. After losing in a playoff at the Chevron Championship in April, Kim missed the cut at the U.S. Women's Open in June and withdrew after one round at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship later the same month with a back injury. Kim then tied for 31st in the Evian Championship earlier this month.

Among other Koreans, Choi Hye-jin, who has had three top-10s in four majors this year, will be in pursuit of her maiden LPGA title. Im Jin-hee and Lee So-mi, who teamed up for the Dow Championship title as their first LPGA victories last month, are known as good wind players whose games should be well suited for this week.

Korea's Choi Hye-jin looks on after a shot during the third round of the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club, in Evian-Les-Bains, eastern France, on July 12. [AFP/YONHAP]

Lee held a 36-hole lead at the Evian Championship and sat one stroke off the lead entering the final round, before ending up in a tie for 14th place.

The Korea LPGA Tour contingent will feature three-time winner Bang Shin-sil and the reigning Korea Women's Open champion Lee Dong-eun.

The 19 LPGA tournaments so far this year have all produced different champions, the longest such streak in the tour's history. Kim tried to end that string but Woad, a former top-ranked amateur, won the Scottish Open in her first tournament as a professional.

Woad will be rightfully considered among the top contenders this week, alongside the defending champion and world No. 3 from New Zealand, Lydia Ko.

Yonhap