I.K. Kim can be star performer at 2012 Lorena Ochoa Invitational
South Korean I.K. Kim can be the star performer at the upcoming Lorena Ochoa Invitational 2012, as the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) star won the 2010 edition of the tournament.
Kim gave a miss to the last LPGA event—Mizuno Classic 2012—and now she is fully fit to pursue her biggest goal for the season, which is to subdue her archrival Scottish Catriona Matthew.
Catriona Matthew beat Anna Nordqvist and Kim in the 2011 edition of the tournament by four strokes.
A defeat with a narrow margin came just one year after Kim racked up her first title at Lorena Ochoa Invitational.
Last year, the South Korean star displayed a stellar performance, but could not get off to a fast start. Having carded a 72 in the first round, Kim tried to ramp up pressure on her nearest
rivals in the second round and managed to shoot a 67.
However, Matthew was quick enough to grab every opportunity she got on the course, posting big scores in all the four rounds.
Kim is regarded as one of the most talented players on the LPGA Tour. With the three LPGA titles, her profile has helped her rise to fame in a short time.
Kim had spoken to the LPGA Tour at the end of the 2011 edition, saying she was satisfied with her performance but her score would have been much better if she had made a good start.
She said that her nearest rival Matthew played a stunning game, which made it impossible for all the contenders to move to the top.
“That's what I was trying to do on the front nine, but she kept making putts. She was so high so she could stop the ball on the green,” Kim said of Matthew who had got a complete grip on the
match right from the start. “She played awesome, you know? We didn't really get any closer to her, so I don't think she got much ‑‑ you know, any nervous or pressure”.
She said that despite she failed to defend her title, she liked battling Matthew. “I think she had her own kind of momentum going, so I'm very happy for her and, you know, it was nice for
her”.
Tags: