Korea’s Kim Sei Young has set a new LPGA 72-hole scoring record with her 31-under-par winning total at the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic, breaking the previous mark of 27-under-par that she jointly owned with Swedish legend Annika Sorenstam.
The 25-year-old Kim carded rounds of 63, 65, 64 and 65 to win her seventh LPGA title by nine shots. Sorenstam set the previous 27-under mark at the 2001 Standard Register Ping, which Kim matched en route to her win at the 2016 JTBC Founders Cup.
“It’s mean a lot, because after the JTBC Founders Cup tied record with Annika, I had new goals. I wish I could break the record. So, yeah, it’s really unbelievable,” said Kim, who had only one blemish on her scorecard all week – a double bogey at the par-three 17th in Round 2.
The best 72-hole winning score (in relation to par) on the PGA Tour is also 31-under-par, set by South African star Ernie Els during the 2003 Mercedes Championship at Kapalua in Hawaii. The Asian Tour record is Chapchai Nirat’s 32-under-par winning total at the 2009 Sail Open, played at the Classic Golf Resort in Gurgaon, India.
