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A Lim Kim is your 2020 U.S. Women’s Open champion

Published

5 years ago

Dec 15, 2020

When destiny and angels collide, the outcome rests in the hands of the big D. The winged ones put a guiding, comforting hand on your shoulder, but it’s fate that wins the day in golf. A Lim Kim was fated to win the 75th playing of the USGA Women’s Open, while Amy Olson gave a heroic effort on day five, all the while bearing the burden of a lost, loved one. There wasn’t much about the postponed national championship that resembled the expected and the anticipated As the mud settled, it was a dramatic conclusion to the year’s final major championship.

Hinako Shibuno entered Monday’s delayed final round in first place, where she had been for the better part of three days. Shibuno needed an early birdie to plant a flag and stake a claim, but her first sub-par score would not come until the 13th hole. By that point in the round, she had returned four strokes to par, was even on the week, and would ultimately finish in solo 4th position. Top four in a major is a career feat for professionals, and an undreamed-of occurrence for mortals. For Shibuno, after her surprising 2019 British Open title, the non-victory certainly had to sting a bit.

Moving up the leader board was two-time major champion and world number one Jin-young Ko. Ko spent the better part of 2020 ensconced in safe harbor, at home in Korea. She rode the viral wave in the company of family, finding practice and competition opportunities nearby. In her return to the world stage, Ko tied for 34th at Pelican, then moved up to 5th at the VOA, two weeks ago. This week, she surged in the final round with a marvelous 68, three under on the day. Ko’s progress should make her a lock to win the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples this week, but a playoff for a third major title escaped her grasp by one stroke.

Back to the angels. Amy Olson hails from North Dakota, and won the 2009 U.S. Girls championship. Eschewing the lure of large-school college golf, Olson remained in her native state at North Dakota State, where she excelled in the classroom and on the course. She turned professional after graduation, and has competed on the LPGA Tour for just over seven complete seasons. Without a victory, but with a pair of top-ten finishes in major events, Olson took the opening round lead with a stellar 67. That number would prove on Monday to be fated, as it was the low round for the week, on either of the Champions Golf Club courses. Four of them were posted, one in each round, and Olson owned one of them.

On Saturday evening, Olson’s beloved father-in-law passed from this world. Her husband was travelling from home to Houston when he received the news. Olson spent much of Sunday in tears, preparing for a round that would never begin. Perhaps fate and the angel conspired that day, to make the course just unplayable enough as the day unwound, to delay competition and give Olson time to gather.

On Monday, Olson went out in the final threesome, with Shibuno and Moriya Jutanugarn. Three bogeys at holes 2 through 4 were quickly countered by birdies at 5 and 6. Olson reeled off nine pars to the 16th, where an adrenaline-laced hybrid overshot the green, resulting in her fourth bogey of the day. A birdie at the last returned her to 2-under on the week, in a tie with Ko. Her admirable score of 72 outdistanced her playing companions, but there was one golfer that she could not overtake.

A Lim Kim was not a recognizable name, a considered name, a feared name, at any point during the week. Although the 25-year old Korean had signed for 68 on Thursday, her subsequent rounds of 74 and 72 had returned her to a place outside of apparent contention. In that interim, Shibuno had posted 67 on Friday to assume the lead position, while Ji Yeong Kim2 would return a 67 of her own on day three, to make a hasty leaderboard move, inside the top then. Kim2 would tumble away on Sunday, to an 80, and a tie for 30th place.

The fourth 67 was presented by destiny to A Lim Kim on Sunday. Birdies at 5, 6 and 8 brought her out of the cloud cover, into the center of the campaign for the Mickey Wright medal. Bogeys past the turn, at 10 and 11, returned the lead to Olson. Then, the most unexpected thing happened, Beginning at the 16th hole, the one that would prove to be Olson’s undoing, A Lim Kim birdied home. She rolled an iron three feet past the cup on the par-three hole, then dunked the putt, dead center. On 17, from the fairway’s middle, she ripped an iron and quickly looked away, knowing it had found its line. The ball rolled to a stop, 16 inches from the hole. At the 72nd hole, her wedge approach settled eight feet away. Her putt never wavered and, when it dropped, she punched the air and smiled with her eyes, behind the mask that she wore for the entirety of the competition.

In truth, she might have logged four consecutive birdies. A long birdie effort at the 15th, downhill and gaining speed, pulled up one turn shy of a three, in the heart of the cup. In the end, the USGA had a deserving champion and a spate of worthy contenders. The players and this writer second-guessed the manner in which round three was conducted, something that has become commonplace at national championships. Champions Golf Club proved to be a worthy venue for an Open championship, and should be featured more often. As A Lim Kim returns home to Korea with a treasured trophy, we look ahead to 2021, and a 76th Open championship at California’s Olympic Club.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open

Published

1 hour ago

Jun 3, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX Tour Photographer made the trip from the Memorial Tournament across the country to the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera. Check out links to all the photos below!

General Albums

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.

In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.

Check out links to all our photos below.

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News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.

Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.

PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole

Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.

Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.

Henley’s Suitcase

Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype

LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!

Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.

Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.

Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.

Celine’s Suitcase

Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS

DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!

Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.

Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.

Kaneko’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping Max G440
Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7

Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro

Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.

The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.

Alvaro’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
Wedges
Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C

A party on the green!

Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026

LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.

Niemann’s Suitcase