Hyo Joo Kim Wins Ford Championship by 2 Strokes

Hyo Joo Kim of South Korea captured her ninth LPGA Tour victory on March 29, 2026, at the Ford Championship in Phoenix, Arizona, holding off a late charge from Nelly Korda to win by two strokes and secure back-to-back titles for the first time in her career.

Kim closed with a 3-under-par 69 at Wildfire Golf Club, finishing at 28-under 260. Her performance included two rounds of 61, the first in the opening round and another in the third, setting a new LPGA 54-hole tournament record of 25-under 191. She entered the final round with a four-stroke lead over Korda but faced a setback with a double bogey on the par-4 eighth hole after her tee shot veered into desert scrub. Kim recovered with birdies on the 10th and elsewhere, including an 18-inch putt that restored her advantage to four shots midway through the back nine.

Korda, the world No. 2 from the United States, carded a bogey-free 5-under 67 in the final round, highlighted by an eagle-birdie finish on holes 17 and 18. She ended at 26-under, matching her career-best tournament total relative to par. The American had trailed by four at the start but pulled within one after Kim's double bogey. However, Korda missed short putts on...