HYEMIN KIM EARNS SECOND CAREER EPSON TOUR WIN

EL DORADO, Ark. — At times along the way this afternoon there was some doubt, but a 1-over par 73 final round from Hyemin Kim (Seoul, Republic of Korea) secured her second career Epson Tour title at the 2018 Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout.

“I really didn’t expect this to happen,” Kim said. “I feel so amazing of course and just wish that my mom was here to see it.”

It was a shaky start for Kim on the final day at Mystic Creek Golf Course. She bogeyed three of her first eight holes, with the last one of the bunch dropping her to 3-under par overall and into a three-way tie atop the leaderboard with Sandy Choi (Seoul, Republic of Korea) and playing partner Casey Danielson (Osceola, Wisconsin).

Knocked down, but not out, Kim didn’t let her mindset affect how she would respond.

“I was two shots ahead, but my start was really tough making a bunch of bogeys,” said Kim, who carded a birdie on three of the next four holes to regain a three-stroke advantage. “After No. 8, so many people were at 3-under par and I couldn’t stop thinking about not making bogey. It didn’t help me at all, but after I made birdie on No. 9 I felt more confident and started to make putts.”

From there, she never looked back and a bogey on No. 13 could not even slow Kim down. The three-shot margin would not change, as well. Brittany Benvenuto (Langhorne, Pennsylvania) came in behind Kim for a solo second finish, while Ruixin Liu (Dalian, China), Lauren Kim (Los Altos, California) and Volvik Race for the Card No. 1 Dottie Ardina (Laguna, Philippines) all tied for third at 1-under par overall.

After the trophy ceremony, Kim announced she will be donating $5,000 of her $22,500 winner’s check to LPGA USGA Girls Golf. It mirrors what she did after winning the POC Med Golf Classic last year, when Kim donated her $15,000 winnings from her first Epson Tour victory to the program.

“I think that’s really important to the community because if there is no girls golf, then there is no future to the LPGA Tour,” Kim said. “We have to encourage more junior golfers as much as we can. I think that’s our future for sure.”

Not among the competitors for the Guardian Championship at Capitol Hill on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Prattville, Ala., Kim will take a week to heal a nagging shoulder injury and get her body ready for the final two events. Meanwhile, a 120-player field will now navigate to the Heart of Dixie for the second annual event from Sept. 21-23.

Hyemin Kim Winner's Interview

DANIELSON CAPTURE FIFTH TOP-10 IN SIXTH START OF YEAR

Another start and yet another top-10 finish for Stanford University graduate Casey Danielson (Osceola, Wisconsin), as she is making a habit out of seeing her name near the top of the leaderboard.

Even though Danielson struggled to a 4-over par in the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout final round, she still finished tied for sixth at even par overall. It is the fifth top-10 result she has secured in six Epson Tour starts this season.

“This one doesn’t feel quite as good, but still excited for another top-10 and turning in some solid golf,” said Danielson, who jumped seven spots to No. 35 in the Volvik Race for the Card with the performance at Mystic Creek Golf Course. “It played really tough and I lost my patience out there today. That stood out to me as something I need to work on and then just cleanup some little things, but not change too much except the mindset.”

In the field for next week’s Guardian Championship in Prattville, Ala., Danielson will take what she learned into that start and look to keep things rolling. From there, she’ll tee it up as the last player in the IOA Golf Classic field based on exemption, then compete in the Epson Tour Championship.

“Taking it easy the first half of the season put some fire in me and I’m excited for more opportunities to work my way up the money list,” Danielson said. “I still have some goals to reach this year, but have been playing great golf and chugging along.”

VOLVIK RACE FOR THE CARD STANDINGS

Following the 18th tournament of the 2018 Epson Tour season, the Volvik Race for the Card saw plenty of shifting within the top-10.

The win and $22,500 winner’s check moved Hyemin Kim up 66 spots to No. 31, having earned $28,974 through 15 events played. Here is a look at the current top-10 heading into the Guardian Championship at Capitol Hill on the RTJ Golf Trail in Prattville, Ala. from Sept. 21-23:

Dottie Ardina - $83,171
Stephanie Meadow (Jordanstown, Northern Ireland) - $61,308
Linnea Ström (Hovas, Sweden) - $59,939
Elizabeth Szokol (Winnetka, Illinois) - $58,346
Charlotte Thomas (Guildford, England) - $57,389
Ruixin Liu - $55,124
Isi Gabsa (Munich, Germany) - $53,854
Jenny Haglund (Karlstad, Sweden) - $52,927
Pavarisa Yoktuan (Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand) - $52,454
Stephanie Kono (Honolulu, Hawaii) - $49,829

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