INCHEON (Yonhap News) ― Eight-time LPGA Tour winner Kim Mi-hyun of South Korea bid a teary farewell to competitive golf on Sunday, after completing her final round at the LPGA KEB-HanaBank Championship on her home soil.

On the Ocean Course at the Sky72 Golf Club here, just west of Seoul, Kim ended the three-round tournament at 8-over par. Slowed by leg pains all week, she started the week with a four-over 76 on Friday and followed it up with a 70 on Saturday. In the final round, she made just one birdie and mixed in two bogeys, a double bogey and a triple bogey en route to a 78.

At her final press conference, Kim said her score wasn’t as important as finishing the tournament.

“I haven’t been feeling great lately, and I was worried I wasn’t going to be able to play 18 holes today,” Kim said. “I was lucky that I could play all three rounds here.”

Kim, the 1999 LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year, was part of the first wave of South Korean golfers on the LPGA Tour, alongside World Golf Hall of Famer Pak Se-ri and former major champion Grace Park, or Park Ji-eun.

Park announced her retirement in August, while Pak, still active, played here this week.

Kim won eight LPGA titles between 1999 and 2007 but ends her career without a major title. Her best showing at a major was a runner-up finish at the 2001 Women’s British Open.

She has been slowed by knee injuries of late and this was her first tour appearance of the year. She was a special sponsor’s invitee this week.

Kim said her retirement didn’t sink in until she finished her round.

“Even after that final put, it really didn’t hit me,” she said.

“But after I handed in the scorecard for the final time and my playing partners (Chella Choi and Lee Mi-rim, both of South Korea) started crying, that’s when I realized this was my last round as a professional golfer.”

In her post-playing career, Kim plans to teach young golfers at her own academy in her native Incheon and said she hopes to send many of her students to the LPGA Tour.

McGladrey Classic

Jim Furyk was ready to close the book on a year filled with bitter moments. He wasn’t expecting one more chapter.

Despite playing limited golf in the three weeks following yet another disappointment in the Ryder Cup, Furyk put together three solid days in the McGladrey Classic and ran off four early birdies Saturday that gave him a 4-under 66 and a share of the lead with Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III.

Love has played every week since the Ryder Cup, and the 48-year-old tournament host was at his best on a gorgeous afternoon at Sea Island. With birdies on both the par 5s and a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole, he matched Furyk with a 66 and joined him in the lead at 13-under 197.

This is the last official event of the year for Furyk, who had said earlier in the week that even a win at the McGladrey Classic would not erase memories of his failure to hold leads at the U.S. Open in June, the Bridgestone Invitational in August, and a 1-up lead over Sergio Garcia with two holes to play in the Ryder Cup.

“I’m tougher on myself ― I promise ― than anyone else is,” Furyk said. “So I’ve kicked myself 100 times already. And I’ve gotten over it. I can put it behind me and move. There’s nothing I can do to change it. And nothing I do in the future is going to change it. ... I’m excited for this season to be over, only for the fact that I can turn the page and we can start talking about the future.” (AP)

Perth International

Bo Van Pelt shot a 5-under 67 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead over fellow American Jason Dufner after the third round of the Perth International.

Van Pelt started the day four shots behind overnight leader Emiliano Grillo and grabbed the lead when Grillo bogeyed two of his last three holes. The 20-year-old Grillo had moved to 13 under with birdies at the sixth and ninth holes.

But bogeys at 10 and 11 dropped Grillo back into the chasing group and Dufner, who also shot 67 on Saturday, took a share of the lead with five birdies between the seventh and 12th holes. (AP)