Sei Young Kim launched her bid for a 13th career LPGA Tour title in dominant fashion at the 2025 BMW Women’s Championship, holding on to the lead for a third consecutive day and making history along the way. After shooting a three-under 69 in the third round, King (currently 19 under) set a new 54-hole scoring record for the tournament with a three-day total of 197. She now holds a four-stroke advantage heading into Sunday’s final round at Pine Beach Golf Course.
While Kim’s third-round 69 may not have been her lowest round of the week, it demonstrated some other important skills: composure and resilience under pressure. Despite the tough conditions, King not only maintained his lead, but extended it.
“It was a really tough round,” she said. “The more I think about it, the more it resembles Wales, the conditions and difficulty of the course are very similar.”
If she holds on, it would be her first LPGA win since 2020 and her first on home soil.
Yealimi Noh and Nasa Hataoka were close behind at 15 under, both having strong performances in the third round to stay close.
Lue shot a 5-under 67 on Saturday, the lowest round of the day, with six birdies and just one bogey. Four shots behind, she has every chance to capture her second LPGA Tour victory and add to her already impressive 2025 season, which includes a victory at the Founders Cup earlier this year.
Also tied for second was Booka, who used her control and consistency to shoot a solid 69 in the third round, hitting all 14 fairways and 15 greens. If she wins on Sunday, it will be her seventh career LPGA title.
Meanwhile, defending champion Hannah Green also maintained her solid performance, finishing tied for 10th after a third straight round in the 60s (69-69-68).
For King, Sunday offered more than just another title. It’s a chance to complete a wire-to-wire victory at home, joining Ha Na Jang (2019) and Jin Young Ko (2021) – former Korean champions of the BMW Women’s Championship.
With No and Hataoka close behind, the final round will be an exciting battle. However, as Kim shared after Saturday’s game, the real battle may not be with her competition, but a test of inner strength.
“It’s really a battle with myself,” she said. “I hope it works out tomorrow.”
