Hyo Joo Kim successfully defended her title at the 2026 Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass. This is her second win in back-to-back weeks after her win at the Fortinet Founders Cup last week.
This weekend was another excellent finish, with two of the hottest golfers on the LPGA Tour competing in the same pairing on Saturday and Sunday. After Kim put together two bogey-free rounds with an eagle of 61 (-11) on Thursday and Saturday, she entered Sunday with a four-stroke lead over Nelly Korda. For the second week in a row, Korda entered the final round chasing Kim. Even with a double bogey on nine by Kim, and a bogey on 16, she made six birdies for her ninth career LPGA Tour victory.
After a record-breaking season last year, which saw 29 different winners, and the first repeat champion coming in October, it took only six tournaments this year.
Runner-up Nelly Korda has started in three tournaments this year. In those three events, she has won the Hilton Grand Vacation Tournament of Champions and finished as the runner-up in the other two. Korda says her attitude is the best part of her game right now.
“I’m really happy. I’ve put in a lot of work, and that’s the best thing about golf: you can always improve, and you can have someone like Hyo Joo that’s going to test you and push your buttons, but in a really good way to improve,” she said.
“Yeah, just excited with the way my game is going, and I’m excited to keep improving.”
After being in the final pairing for the second consecutive week, Kim complimented Korda.
“Just loved and felt great playing with Nelly. She has such a beautiful swing, and this whole time it was just wire to wire, just so tight. Just watching her getting that eagle and finishing, the birdie at the end, I think she is just a fantastic player,” she said.
With her win, Kim earned $337,500 in prize money and 500 points in the season-long competition, Race to CME Globe. Kim is now in first place in the standings.
Lydia Ko shot a 60 (-12) on Thursday, the latest of 9 LPGA Tour players in history to do so. Ko missed a birdie putt on 18 to join Annika Sorenstam as the only player to have a round in the 50’s in LPGA Tour history.
World number one amateur Asterisk Talley had a nice tournament, making the cut and shooting three rounds in the 60’s. She will be a name to watch at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur starting on April 1st.
The LPGA Tour continues next week at the Aramco Championship at Shadow Creek Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is the inaugural year for the tournament.
