Hyo-Joo Kim, experiencing a resurgence in her career, is set to challenge for her 10th LPGA Tour victory at the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open in Scotland.
Starting on July 23, Kim will compete over four days at Dundonald Links in North Ayrshire, Scotland, where the total prize purse is $2 million.
This tournament, co-hosted by the Ladies European Tour (LET) and the LPGA Tour, serves as a precursor to the AIG Women's Open, the final major of the season, which begins on July 30.
Kim is a player to watch. She has been on a strong run this year, winning back-to-back titles at the LPGA Tour Founders Cup and the Ford Championship in March. Her success continued in Korea, where she claimed victories at the KLPGA Tour NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship and the Lotte Open, which concluded on July 5. In total, she has secured four wins this year across both the U.S. and Korean tours.
However, her recent performances in major tournaments have been disappointing. Aside from a sixth-place finish at the Chevron Championship in April, she has failed to break into the top 10 in other majors, missing the cut at the U.S. Women's Open and finishing tied for 42nd at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and tied for 26th at the Amundi Evian Championship.
For Kim, this tournament presents an opportunity to finalize her preparations ahead of the AIG Women's Open. With both events taking place in the UK just a week apart, it allows her to acclimate to the unique conditions of links courses, including strong winds.
Kim has shown a strong performance at Dundonald Links in the past, finishing tied for third in 2022 and placing second in both 2023 and last year. This will be her sixth appearance at this course, where she will play the first two rounds alongside Aki Iwai from Japan and Cassandra Alexander from South Africa.
The tournament features a strong field, with seven of the top 10 players in the world rankings and 19 major champions participating.
Notably, world No. 1 Nelly Korda, who missed the cut at the Evian Championship, is looking to restore her pride. In a press conference, Korda expressed her excitement about returning to Europe for the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open and the AIG Women's Open, stating, "At this golf course, you definitely have to bring a bit more artistry to your game. Playing in this weather and on this type of course brings me back to the roots of golf."
Defending champion Lottie Wood from England aims for a second consecutive title and will play alongside Korda and Charlie Hull. Wood remarked, "It’s nice to come back to where it all started. At that time, it was my first tournament, so I didn’t fully grasp the victory. But now, playing every week and seeing how talented everyone is makes that win feel even more special."
South Korean players are also a point of interest, with 2017 champion Mi-Hyang Lee, along with Kim Sei-young, Yoon Ina, Choi Hye-jin, and Hwang Yu-min, set to compete.
In contrast, Hae-Ran Yu, who has recently won consecutive major tournaments, will take a break this week to focus on preparing for the AIG Women's Open.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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