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CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@ STARADVERTISER.COM
Grace Kim kisses the Lotte Championship trophy.
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CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM
Grace Kim tracks her drive from the 12th tee box during round three on Friday.
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Grace Kim, a 22-year-old LPGA rookie, birdied her final two holes to get into a three-way playoff and birdied the first playoff hole to win the LPGA Lotte Championship today at Hoakalei Country Club.
Kim, playing in the final group, birdied the difficult par-4 17th and then got up-and-down from the front left bunker for birdie on 18 to finish tied with Yu Liu and third-round leader Yu Jin Sung at 12-under 276.
Liu finished her round more than an hour before the final group after posting a bogey-free 64 with eight birdies, including four on her first five holes. She started the round five shots back.
Sung, who shot 69, also birdied the 18th hole, getting up-and-down from a bunker to join the playoff.
On the first playoff hole, the par-5 18th, Kim’s chip on her third shot got to 5 feet from the pin.
Sung, who was well left of the hole after two shots, chipped her third over the green and had to hit another coming back before missing the par putt.
Liu had a chip get to 15 feet from the cup but missed the birdie putt, setting up Kim’s short birdie to end it.
Kim earned $300,000 for the win in her seventh career LPGA event and third of her rookie season. She will play in the season’s first major, The Chevron Championship, next week.