Hyo Joo Kim has won the season-opening Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic, relegating Stacy Lewis to yet another second-place finish.
South Korean Kim rebounded from a bogey on the 16th hole with a nine-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th and closed with a par for a two-stroke victory over American Lewis, 2015 champion Sei Young Kim and Anna Nordqvist.
Kim closed with a seven-under 66 at the breezy Ocean Club to finish at 18-under 274.
The 20-year-old has three LPGA Tour victories, also winning the 2014 Evian Championship and 2015 Founders Cup.
"Really happy that I won here because it's just like a really good start to the season," said Hyo Joo Kim via her interpreter, Australia's South Korean-born star Minjee Lee.
Needing an eagle to force a playoff, the third-ranked Lewis parred the par-5 18th for a 68.
She has nine runner-up finishes in a 40-event victory drought that dates to June 2014.
The 11-time tour winner has 22 career second-place finishes.
"Seven under's a great score and I knew it was going to take something like that today on this golf course with less wind," Lewis said.
"You know you needed to shoot a number. Just got off to a bit of a slow start. Making bogey on eight really hurt, but proud of the way I came back on the back nine and gave myself a chance."
Sei Young Kim also shot a 68, and Nordqvist had a 69 while Lee finished the tournament at nine under.
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