"Reaching world No. 1 has been a long-time goal. If I achieve it, I think I'll be able to retire with a sense of pride."
Kim Hyo-joo (31, Lotte), who is enjoying a new prime 11 years after her LPGA Tour debut, shared her goals with the Seoul Economic Daily on June 1.
Kim climbed from fourth to third in the world rankings (6.71 ranking points) after consecutive victories at the Fortinet Founders Cup and the Ford Championship. It is her highest-ever world ranking since joining the LPGA Tour. Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand currently holds the No. 1 spot with 10.81 points, followed by Nelly Korda of the United States at 8.44 points. Charley Hull of England dropped to fourth after being overtaken by Kim.
Kim dominated the domestic circuit early in her career and debuted on the LPGA Tour in 2015, accumulating seven career wins through last year. This year, she has claimed two victories in four tournaments, marking what has been called her "second prime." Changes in equipment — specifically shaft specifications — and consistent strength training including pull-ups have been cited as factors behind her steep rise. Asked about what she considers the driving force, Kim said, "Consistent strength training has added up to 20 yards to my driving distance compared to last year, which makes me feel more comfortable on my second and third shots." She added, "I think clearly separating my 'on' and 'off' modes to manage my mental state has also been very effective." She continued, "During tournaments, I try to hit every shot with maximum focus, but when I'm resting, I completely turn off golf thoughts — I meet people, laugh, chat, and play with my dogs to enjoy my time."
Her back-to-back title battles with American star Nelly Korda over two consecutive weeks also drew attention. With head-to-head pairings in the same group becoming increasingly frequent, Kim said they even joked with each other: "Are we going to play together again?" "We really are playing together again."
