Kim Hyo-joo Evolves Into Complete Golfer: 278-Yard Drives, 83% Greens in Regulation

"No pictures on the scorecard." This oft-quoted golf adage means that simple stroke counts alone cannot fully capture the flow and quality of a round. The case of Kim Hyo-joo, who successfully defended her title at the LPGA Tour Ford Championship, is a perfect illustration. The result — a victory — was the same as last year, but the content of her play was entirely different. Here is a data-driven look at how Kim's game transformed over the course of one year at the Ford Championship. Kim clinched the title with a final score of 28-under-par 260 at Whirlwind Golf Club (par 72) in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 30 (Korea time). Having won the same event last year after a playoff battle against Lilia Vu of the United States, Kim lifted the trophy again at the same course to achieve her first back-to-back victories since her LPGA Tour debut. The result was the same, but the data reveals her golf clearly elevated to a new level. **Drive Distance: 20 Yards Longer** The most striking difference between last year and this year is average driving distance. Kim averaged 259 yards off the tee over four rounds at last year's event. This year, she averaged 278 yards — nearly 20 yards longer. She did not just hit it farther. Her fairway accuracy this tournament was 82.1% (46 of 56), showing strong precision as well. Her overall driving accuracy this season stands at 83.04%, ranking second in the category — a testament to how consistent her tee shots have become. **Eagle Explosion on Par-5s** The increase in driving distance enabled more aggressive play on par-5 holes, producing a notable surge in eagles. Last year, Kim recorded zero eagles and 25 birdies. This year, she collected three eagles and 27 birdies. Two of the three eagles came on par-5 holes. Beyond a modest increase in birdie count, the addition of eagles — each shaving two strokes at once — gave her scoring a far more explosive dimension. This proved to be a decisive difference. Through six events this LPGA Tour season, Kim leads the tour with five eagles. Last year, she managed just two eagles across the entire season, ranking 120th in the category. **Greens in Regulation: From 72.2% to 83.3%** The greatest payoff from added driving distance is the ability to attack greens more precisely with shorter clubs. The iron-play data proves it. Last year, Kim hit 52 of 72 greens in regulation for a rate of 72.2%. This year, she found 60 of 72 greens, pushing that figure to 83.3% — a jump of roughly 10 percentage points. In raw numbers, the difference is just eight more greens, but on the course it translated into that many more birdie opportunities. She converted two additional birdies and saw her eagle count rise from zero to three. **Bunker Trouble Eliminated** With sharper iron play, Kim also stopped finding greenside bunkers. Last year, she landed in greenside bunkers six times and saved par from the sand at a rate of 83.3% (five of six). This year, she did not visit a greenside bunker even once. In an interview with the Seoul Economic Daily, Kim said, "Switching my driver shaft and consistent strength training have added distance off the tee, and that makes me feel more comfortable on my second and third shots." **Putting: More Greens, Not More Misses** Another intriguing data point is her putting. Total putts actually rose from 105 last year to 110 this year. On the surface, it may look like her putting wavered. The real explanation is different. With a higher greens-in-regulation rate, she simply had more opportunities to putt on the green. In the first and third rounds — when she fired 61 each — Kim needed just 24 and 25 putts, respectively, showcasing remarkably efficient putting. Her putts per green in regulation at this tournament was 1.63, good for fifth place. For the full season, her putts per green in regulation stands at 1.65, ranking first on tour. **Edge Over Korda on the Greens** Kim's putting touch also stands out when compared to Nelly Korda of the United States, who battled her for two consecutive weeks at the Fortinet Founders Cup and the Ford Championship. At the Fortinet Founders Cup, where Korda finished one stroke behind Kim as runner-up, Korda used 123 putts — 14 more than Kim's 109. At the Ford Championship, where Korda finished two strokes back in second place, Korda's putt count was 114, four more than Kim's 110. On the greens, Kim won convincingly. **One Year, One Sentence** The transformation Kim Hyo-joo has shown over the past year can be summed up in a single sentence: she hits it longer, finds greens more often, and slashes strokes more explosively. The same player won at the same course with the same result — but the data tells the story of an entirely different golfer. *Golf tours are filled with fascinating data. "Data Golf" is a column that uses statistics and records to unpack the stories behind the game. Readers are welcome to email any data questions or topic suggestions at any time.*

Kim Hyo-joo Evolves Into Complete Golfer: 278-Yard Drives, 83% Greens in Regulation

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