Hyo Joo Kim Wins Second Straight LPGA Ford Championship

The South Korean star outduels Nelly Korda again, moving up to a career-best No. 3 in the world rankings.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 1:39am

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In a scorching final round at the LPGA Ford Championship in Phoenix, South Korea's Hyo Joo Kim defended her title by holding off a late charge from American star Nelly Korda. Kim set a new LPGA 54-hole scoring record with a 191 total, including two rounds of 61, to win by two strokes over Korda. The victory marks the first time Kim has won consecutive LPGA events, and the first time she has successfully defended a title.

Why it matters

Kim's back-to-back wins over the highly ranked Korda cement her status as one of the top players on the LPGA Tour. The 30-year-old is projected to move up to a career-best No. 3 in the Rolex Rankings, joining an elite group of players who have won in their teens, 20s and 30s.

The details

Kim entered the final round with a four-stroke lead over Korda, but a double-bogey on the 8th hole briefly cut the lead to one. Korda then made back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 9 and 10, allowing Kim to regain a four-shot advantage. Despite a late eagle-birdie finish from Korda, Kim held on for the two-stroke victory. The cut line of 5-under tied the LPGA record for the lowest since 1980.

  • Kim set a new LPGA 54-hole scoring record with a 191 total.
  • Kim became the first player in LPGA history to card two 61s in the same tournament (Rounds 1 and 3).
  • This was Kim's ninth career LPGA victory and her first time winning consecutive events.

The players

Hyo Joo Kim

A 30-year-old South Korean player who is projected to move up to a career-best No. 3 in the Rolex Rankings after this win. She has now won in her teens, 20s and 30s, joining an elite group of LPGA players.

Nelly Korda

The 24-year-old American star who finished second, two strokes behind Kim. Korda has made three starts this season, finishing 1-2-2, with Kim being the only player to beat her.

Lydia Ko

The 28-year-old New Zealander who shot a 60 in the opening round, becoming only the eighth player in LPGA history to card that score. She finished solo fourth.

Asterisk Talley

The 17-year-old amateur who finished in a share of 29th place. She heads next to the Augusta National Women's Amateur where she finished second last year.

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What they’re saying

“I actually wanted to ask Nelly how it feels to win back-to-back.”

— Hyo Joo Kim

“I'm done playing with her.”

— Nelly Korda

“I'm going to make mistakes. I'm going to miss a bunch of those putts throughout my entire career, and I just can't get down on myself.”

— Nelly Korda

The takeaway

Kim's back-to-back victories over the highly ranked Korda demonstrate her continued rise as one of the top players on the LPGA Tour. At 30 years old, she is now a nine-time LPGA winner and has joined an elite group of players who have won in their teens, 20s and 30s.