But she made no birdies on the back nine, leaving the game open until the par-four 17th, which was set to be played at 414 yards. Kim took her stance, adjusted her grip, swung back and sent the ball to within 188 yards of the pin. She took out her 5-wood and hit the green. When Kim hit the green on the final par-four hole, she was all smiles. “I feel quite uplifted, I have to say, because I really didn’t expect to win this week,” Kim was quoted as saying on the LPGA website. “I think I managed it quite well.” Due to the rain and wind at Kingsbarns Golf Links, Kim had to play with 214.50 yards of driving distance, but managed to hit 15 greens out of 18. Her bogey-free round of 66 on the third day cost her, however, and she came up one shot shy of tying the tournament record with Karen Stupples of England at 19 under par, set during the 2004 British Open at Sunningdale Golf Club in Berkshire, England. “I think we judge ourselves a lot, everybody does,” Kim said. “But for our own selves, I think sometimes you’ve got to have some self-compassion. And we can make some mistakes. But I hope mistakes will make a more positive impact in life instead of dwelling on it. If you think about it, I think the present moment is more special.” Kim’s victory has also extended Korea’s dominance on the LPGA tour to four consecutive tournaments and a total of 12 out of the 22 so far this season. The Solheim Cup will resume on Aug. 18 to 20 in West Des Moines, Iowa.