Porthcawl: Days after her runner-up finish in Scotland, South 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 a total purse of $9.5 million up for grabs and the champion taking home $1,425,000. It will be the last of five LPGA majors in 2025.
According to Yonhap News Agency, 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, marking the second-highest position for a South Korean player behind only seventh-ranked Ryu Hae-ran. Despite Ryu's higher ranking, Kim is having a stronger season, having won an LPGA tournament this year and securing her position at fourth in the Player of the Year standings with five top-10 finishes. In comparison, Ryu is 19th, with just one other top-10 showing aside from her victory.
Kim is also performing exceptionally well in critical statistics, ranking fourth in scoring average at 69.88, and third in both putts per round at 28.68 and in driving accuracy with 81.4 percent. Her scrambling percentage is third on the tour at 66.2 percent, demonstrating her ability to make par or better after missing the green. At her best, Kim is noted for her steady ball striking, finding fairways consistently, and avoiding high scores through a strong short game and putting.
The 30-year-old will now attempt to leverage her recent experience of playing links-style golf, characterized by undulating terrain, deep bunkers, and windy conditions. Kim won her first major title at the 2014 Evian Championship before officially joining the LPGA. This year, however, she has faced challenges in the majors, having lost in a playoff at the Chevron Championship in April, missed the cut at the U.S. Women's Open in June, and withdrawn from the KPMG Women's PGA Championship later that month due to a back injury. She tied for 31st at the Evian Championship earlier this month.
Other South Korean contenders include Choi Hye-jin, who has achieved three top-10 finishes in four majors this year and is in pursuit of her first LPGA title. Im Jin-hee and Lee So-mi, who claimed their first LPGA victories last month at the Dow Championship, are known for their skills in windy conditions, making them well-suited for this week's tournament. Lee had a strong showing at the Evian Championship, holding a 36-hole lead and entering the final round one stroke off the lead, before finishing in a tie for 14th place.
The Korea LPGA Tour contingent will also feature three-time winner Bang Shin-sil and reigning Korea Women's Open champion Lee Dong-eun. The 19 LPGA tournaments held this year have each seen different champions, marking the longest such streak in the tour's history. Kim attempted to break this streak, but Woad, a former top-ranked amateur, emerged victorious at the Scottish Open in her first professional tournament. Woad will be a top contender this week, alongside defending champion and world No. 3, Lydia Ko from New Zealand.