Kim holds on to win Longs Drugs Challenge

Oct 13, 2008 - 2:46 AM DANVILLE, California (Ticker) - It was a struggle, but In-Kyung Kim came through for her first LPGA Tour victory.

Playing in gusty conditions, Kim carded a 1-over-par 73 but it was good enough to win the Longs Drugs Challenge on Sunday.

Kim finished at 10-under 278, three strokes clear of Angela Stanford at Blackhawk Country Club. Kim earned $180,000 for the win, which comes in her second season on tour.

Stanford closed with a 75 to finish at 7-under 281. Yani Tseng (72) finished third at 6-under with Lorena Ochoa (72) another shot back.

"It felt like a major just in that you really had to focus on every single shot and really think about, you know, the wind, the elements, everything," Stanford said. "Just every day was so much harder because of the weather."

Kim had three bogeys and 13 pars on her first 16 holes before she clinched the victory with two straight birdies to close out the round.

"Before I started, I just wanted to play, and I didn't want to change any plans, just hit the fairways and greens and give myself chances," Kim said. "I had to get up-and-down from many holes, which I did. I think I did a good job with that."

On the 333-yard par-4 17th, Kim drove into a bunker 70 yards from the green and hit her second to eight feet for birdie. On 18 she fired a 9-iron from 144 yards to 25 feet and she drained that for a birdie to put an exclamation point on the win.

"Last three holes left and I had a two shot lead. I only needed one birdie from two holes and then I can't lose the tournament, so I just wanted to have one birdie and I made two."