Hyo Joo Kim survived a late run by world number two, Nelly Korda, to win the 2026 Fortinet Founders Cup by one stroke. This is Kim’s eighth career win on the LPGA Tour.
After a third round of 66 (-6), Kim entered the final round with a five-stroke lead over Nelly Korda. Kim also led by six strokes over China’s Ruixin Yiu and Mexico’s Gaby Lopez. Kim matched each birdie she made with a bogey throughout her entire round. With plenty of ground to make up, Korda crept closer to Kim with a front nine of 32 (-4).
After a costly three-putt bogey on 17 by Korda, Kim was able to win her first tournament of the year with a bogey on 18 for 73 (+1). Kim said she wasn’t able to follow others in the course today.
“Honestly, today wasn’t really about looking and focusing on other players. I was just so focused on playing well and my shots that weren’t playing well. So I don’t think I really had the luxury of even having my emotions spread out from other players,” she said.
While going wire to wire might matter to some golfers, Kim was nonchalant when asked about the nature of her victory.
“I don’t think it’s necessarily a big deal. I think there is obviously a name to being wire to wire, but at the end of the day, it’s about who is on top on the final day. So I think it didn’t really mean that big of a deal to me,” she said.
In two tournaments played so far this season, Korda has finished second and won at the Hilton Grand Vacation Tournament of Champions. With coming so close, Korda regretted a couple of shots in her final two holes.
“I felt great all day. I just kind of made one stupid mistake, and that was 17. So, other than that, I mean – and then 18, I wish I could have hit that drive into the fairway and given myself a better opportunity to press a little bit more. But that’s just golf. Those are sports. Sometimes it’s on your side, and sometimes it’s not,” she said.
With her win, Kim earned $450,000 in prize money and 500 points in the season-long competition, Race to CME Globe. Kim moved into second place ahead of world number one, Jeeno Thitikul, in the standings this season.
The LPGA Tour continues next week at the Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass in Phoenix, Arizona. The tournament will be held on the Cattail Course at Whirlwind Golf Club.
