GALWAY, NJ — Danny Holmqvist’s 18th-ranked 4-under 67 took him one stroke ahead of Heo Jo Kim on Saturday at the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
Holmqvist, the 35-year-old Swede seeking her first win on the LPGA Tour, earned an 11-under total of 131 in the final round Sunday at Bay Course in Seaview, near the casinos in Atlantic City. She opened with a career best 64 on Friday.
“It’s always some nerves and stuff, but it was nerves in a good way, because it’s a position you really want to be in, and we work really hard to be in,” Holmqvist said. “But it’s just trying to trust my own game and what I’ve been working on for the last couple of weeks, and it’s good to see that it’s paying off.”
Holmqvist had seven birdies and three bogeys in the second round.
“It’s just some hard holes and it’s a great track and sometimes you get a good break and sometimes you get a bad one,” Holmqvist said. “You can’t dwell on it too much. I just tried to keep level and focus on the next shot.”
Kim Bird holed the last holes on the 65. The South Korean player had eight birdies and two bogeys. Ranked eighth, she is a five-time LPGA Tour winner.
British Open women’s champion Ashley Buhai of South Africa was third, eight, after 65.
“Just trying to go out there and play golf, not play for a score, do what I’ve been doing for the past few weeks,” Buhai said. “I know it sounds repetitive, but it helps me play golf well — as long as I stay in the moment.”
Brianna Doe (64) was under 7 with Athaya Thethkul (67), Kiara Noja (67), Matilda Kastrin (67), Yan Liu (70) and Jenny Shen (70).