Seo Gyorim wins Medihill-Hankook Ilbo Championship for third title of season

Seo Gyorim claimed her third KLPGA Tour victory of the season Sunday, winning the Medihill-Hankook Ilbo Championship by three strokes. The tournament carried a purse of 1.2 billion won ($848,000).

Playing the final round at Mongvert Golf Club's Myeongseongsan Course (par 72) in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, Seo carded nine birdies against a single bogey for an 8-under 64.

Her four-round total of 18-under 270 pushed co-leader and same-age rival Kim Min-sol into second place at 16-under 272, a two-stroke margin.

Along with her third win of the season, Seo collected the winner's check of 216 million won. The victory drew her level with Kim in wins on tour and moved her to the top of the Player of the Year points standings.

Starting the final round three shots off the pace in fourth place, behind co-leaders Kim and Choi Ye-rim, Seo made five birdies without a bogey through the 11th hole to close in on the lead. A bogey at the par-5 12th briefly slowed her, but she responded with three consecutive birdies from the par-4 13th through the par-3 15th, driven by precise iron play and putting.

The outcome remained uncertain until Kim, who had moved into sole possession of the lead, made a costly error. At the par-5 14th, Kim's tee shot flew into the trees on the right, forcing her to declare an unplayable lie and return to the tee box to play her third shot. She did not reach the green until her fifth stroke and two-putted to finish the hole, dropping two shots with a double bogey.

Now in sole lead, Seo narrowly missed a birdie putt of under 3 meters at the par-3 17th. Kim, meanwhile, recovered from the double bogey by making back-to-back birdies at the par-3 15th and par-4 16th to pull within one shot.

Seo put the title beyond doubt at the par-4 18th, draining a 5-meter birdie putt to finish two clear and seal the championship.

Kim, who had been chasing a fourth win of the season, slipped to second in the Player of the Year standings but retained the top spot on the season money list.