The LPGA Tour heads to Sylvania, Ohio for the Marathon Classic August 6-9. The ladies will compete for a $2 million purse and 500 points for the CME Race to The Globe. Sei Young Kim is the defending champion.
Kim, a 27-year old from South Korea, have five victories on the LPGA Korea Tour and ten times on the LPGA Tour. She started the game by herself at a young age and turned professional in 2010.
In 2013 she finished tied for third at the LPGA KEB-HanaBank Championship as a member of the Korean Tour. She was a five-time winner on the Korean Tour in 2013 and 2014 and led the tour in driving distance, despite her diminutive stature at 5’ 4”. Kim earned Priority List Category 12 status for the LPGA Tour 2015 season after finishing ninth at the 2014 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.
Kim excelled as an LPGA rookie, making 25 cuts in 27 events finishing fourth on the money list at over $1.8 million. Her first of three victories for the season came at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic. In addition, Kim won the Kia Most Compelling Performance Award and took home Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year.
In 2016, Kim added two more victories to her growing resume, as well as seven top-10 finishes. She represented Korea at the UL International Crown and finished 25th at the Olympic Games in Rio. In 25 events, she missed only four cuts, earning nearly $1.5 million in the process. She finished in the top ten in scoring average, putts per GIR, birdies, eagles, driving distance, and rounds in the 60s.
Kim made 22 cuts in 25 events, including her six career victory in 2017. She followed with more stellar play in 2018, earning nearly $1.4 million. Kim’s win at the Thornberry Creek LPGA classic set a scoring record at minus-31. This shattered the mark of 27-under par set by herself and Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam.
Kim vaulted to number two on the money list with over $2.7 million. Her three victories in the season was the third time she won multiple times in a season. She is currently ranked sixth in the Rolex Rankings and 10th in CME Race to the Globe. Kim already has 51 top-10 and ten career wins on the LPGA Tour. Look for her to put in a good showing defending her title.