South Korea's In Kyung Kim comfortably kept up her dominance despite a late charge from Michelle Wie to win the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters on Saturday.
The world number 13 closed with a tidy 68 for an impressive tournament total of 18-under-par 270 to beat American sensation by a good three shots. Feeling far more relaxed after completing her fall examination, the Stanford sophomore fired a sizzling 65 - the day's best score - but it wasn't enough in the end. Sweden's Maria Hjorth, the first round leader, finished third along with France's Virginie Lagoutte-Clement and four-time major winner Laura Davies on 14-under-par 274.
She received the elegant winner's trophy Mohamed Juma Buamaim, vice chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAi, the promoters and organizers of the euro 500,000 event. Raynald Aeschliman, Vice-present, Southern Europe, Middle East Africa of the Swatch group presented her a special Omega watch while the winner's cheque for euro 75,000 was presented by Sulaiman Al Mazroei, General Manager of Group Corporate Communications, Emirates-NBD at an impressive presentation ceremony. Kim, playing on an invitation, was placed eighth after the first round of 70 but she shot into pole position after the second round of 65 and never looked back. She earned a three-stroke lead after the third round of 67 and sealed the win with a birdie on the par-five 18th hole, which was her fifth of the day.
Kim arrived at the tournament as a virtual unknown on the Ladies European Tour, but after her win, she will be considered very special indeed.