Kim sprints to victory in Marathon Classic

LOS ANGELES: South Korea’s Kim Sei-young powered to a two-shot victory in the LPGA Tour’s Marathon Classic on Sunday with a closing six-under-par 65.

Kim, who had taken a one-shot lead into the final round, reeled off seven birdies and only one bogey to finish on 22 under for the tournament at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio.

It was Kim’s second title of 2019 and her ninth career title on the LPGA Tour.

Lexi Thompson of the United States finished in second spot after a five-under-par 66 left her on 20 under.

Thompson’s final round concluded with an eagle three on the par-five 18th for a second consecutive day.

However the American was left counting the cost of a mixed display which also included six birdies and three bogeys.

Thompson’s late charge was too little, too late with Kim calmly shrugging off a bogey on the 16th to finish with two pars.

Kim and Thompson had stretched clear of the field on Saturday and never looked like being caught over Sunday’s final round.

Kim surged into a commanding lead over the front nine, making an early birdie on the 2nd and then reeling off a trio of birdies on the 7th, 8th and 9th holes to move to 20 under at the turn, five shots clear of Thompson.

Kim grabbed two more birdies on the 10th and 11th — five in a row — to pull six shots clear with seven holes to play.

Stacy Lewis finished in third place on 16 under after a closing 66 while South Korea’s Lee6 Jeong-eun was fourth on 14 under after carding a two-under-par 69.

Five players finished tied for fifth on 11 under, Sweden’s Linnea Strom, Germany’s Caroline Masson, Yoktuan Pavarisa of Thailand and American duo Jennifer Kupcho and Tiffany Joh.