South Korea's A Lim Kim held off Russia's Nataliya Guseva to win the Lotte Championship by two strokes at Hoakalei Country Club and collect the second LPGA Tour title of her career.
In 2023, Australian rookie Grace Kim beat Yu Jin Sung and Yu Liu in a playoff to claim her maiden LPGA Tour title in just her third start.
This year, A Lim Kim picked up the first regular LPGA Tour crown of her career - following on from the 2020 US Women's Open - after edging away from Guseva in the final round via a closing 68.
While the Australian claimed a winner's check of $300,000 from a total purse of $2 million 12 months ago, her Korean peer has banked $450,000 in 2024 after the overall prize money pot went up to $3 million.
And while it was ultimately a disappointing week for Guseva, she has the consolation of earning almost as much as last year’s champion at $282,976.
Given this stage of the season, with only next week’s Annika Driven by Gainbridge at Pelican to come before LPGA Tour finale the CME Group Tour Championship, many of the field were focused on accumulating the necessary Race to CME Globe points to ensure entry to the Florida event, which is set to have an $11m purse.
Only the top 60 in the Race to CME Globe standings will make it that far, with Kim significantly boosting her chances via the 500 points that were set aside for this week’s winner.
Below is the prize money breakdown for the Lotte Championship in Hawaii.
Lotte Championship Prize Money Payout
Who Are The Star Names In The Lotte Championship?
Grace Kim claimed her maiden LPGA Tour title at the 2023 event and she defends her title. The two Kim beat in a playoff a year ago, Yu Jin Sung and Yu Liu, are also in the field.
Among the other notable names in the field is Amundi Evian Championship winner Ayaka Furue, who is the highest-placed player in the Race to CME Globe rankings participating this week, in sixth.
Another big name competing in Hawaii is two-time Major winner Jin Young Ko, while Brooke Henderson, who has won the tournament twice, also plays. Henderson has not had a winless year on the LPGA Tour since 2020, but she’s in danger of that run ending in 2024. Could this be the week she captures her best form to keep the sequence going?
Walmart NW Arkansas Championship winner Jasmine Suwannapura also plays, along with Marina Alex, who finished second to Rio Takeda at last week’s Toto Japan Classic.
Among the players who will need to keep a close eye on their Race to CME Globe ranking as they aim to finish inside the top 60 are 2019 Women’s Open champion Hinako Shibuno, who is in 58th, 2022 Lotte Championship winner Hyo Joo Kim, who is 61st, and Ashleigh Buhai, who is 63rd in the standings.
Where Is The Lotte Championship?
The 2023 Lotte Championship will be played at Hoakalei Country Club in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. The Ernie Els-designed course has 112 bunkers and water on nine holes.
Who Is In The Field For The Lotte Championship?
Grace Kim won in a playoff at the 2023 tournament, and she defends her title, while other big names in the field include Ayaka Furue, Jin Young Ko and Brooke Henderson.
