Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea – In a hard-fought final round played under challenging windy conditions, Kim Min-ju (23) triumphed at the KLPGA Tour's inaugural iM Finance Open held at Golfzon County Seonsan (par 72) in Gumi. This momentous victory marks her first win on the KLPGA Tour in her 95th career start.
Kim carded an impressive 5-under-par 67 in the final round, highlighted by six birdies and a single bogey. Her final score of 15-under-par 273 propelled her to a decisive three-stroke victory over a group of joint runners-up, including rising star Bang Shin-sil (21) and veteran Park Ju-young (35). Turning professional four years ago, Kim now etches her name in history as the first-ever champion of this newly established tournament.
The Gumi region was battered by strong winds gusting up to 9 meters per second throughout the final day. However, Kim Min-ju demonstrated remarkable composure and skill, carding a stellar round that saw her climb from fifth place to claim the coveted title.
Reflecting on her breakthrough victory, Kim Min-ju shared, "I tend to overthink things, but today I focused on the mindset that the result is already determined, and I should just concentrate on what I can control. The strong winds made the competition seem daunting, but I am incredibly happy to receive this first victory as a gift." She further added, "Rather than trying to fight the wind, I focused on hitting the ball with the feeling of letting it ride the wind in each moment." With a touch of humor, she also revealed a long-standing personal goal, "I've been using the same phone for four years, and I told my mom I would change it if I won. Finally, that day has come," she said with a bright smile.
Starting the final round two shots behind the overnight co-leaders Bang Shin-sil and Park Ju-young (both at 12-under-par), Kim Min-ju immediately signaled her intentions with a birdie on the very first hole (par 4). She continued her steady climb up the leaderboard, carding two more birdies by the 8th hole. A moment of potential trouble arose on the 9th hole (par 5) when her tee shot struck a tree and landed in the rough. However, displaying remarkable resilience, her subsequent chip shot from around the green found the bottom of the cup for an improbable 19-meter chip-in birdie, catapulting her into a tie for the lead with Bang Shin-sil.
Riding this wave of momentum, Kim birdied the very next hole, the par-5 10th, to seize the solo lead. A minor setback occurred on the par-3 17th when she missed a par putt from approximately 2.8 meters, resulting in her only bogey of the day. However, she quickly recovered on the final hole (par 5), hitting her third shot to within 46 centimeters of the pin and tapping in for a decisive birdie, securing her maiden KLPGA Tour victory.
Having earned the winner's prize of 180 million won, Kim Min-ju expressed her aspirations for the remainder of the season, stating, "My goals for this year were to win a tournament and finish in the top 10 at least seven times. Having achieved the win, I will now focus on maintaining consistency and achieving at least seven top-10 finishes."
This long-awaited victory marks a significant milestone in Kim Min-ju's professional career, showcasing her perseverance and talent on the highly competitive KLPGA Tour. Her ability to conquer both the challenging course and adverse weather conditions underscores her potential for continued success in the future.
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