Portugal Colonial - Kim Sei-young ends five-year LPGA win drought at BMW Championship

Kim led from the first round to the last at Pine Beach Golf Links on the southwestern tip of South Korea, lifting the trophy after finishing ahead of Japan's Nasa Hataoka.

It was the 32-year-old's first title since 2020, the year she won her only major at the Women's PGA Championship and was also crowned LPGA player of the year.

Kim started the final day with a four-shot lead but a bogey on the third hole gave the chasing pack hope.

She soon snuffed that out by rattling in six birdies, including three on consecutive holes on the way to a five-under-par final round score of 67.

It gave her the 13th win of her career on the LPGA Tour and the first in her native South Korea.

It also meant there have now been 27 different winners on the tour this season, setting a new record.

Hataoka made a late charge with four birdies on the final five holes but by that time Kim was out of sight.

American Yealimi Noh, who began the final round tied for second with Hataoka, finished in a tie for fifth with defending champion Hannah Green of Australia.

South Korea's Kim A-lim and France's Celine Boutier tied for third, six strokes behind the winner.

M.Carneiro--PC