Kim Hyo-joo ties for third at DIO LA Open

Kim Hyo-joo plays her shot from the 12th fairway during the final round of the DIO Implant LA Open at Palos Verdes Golf Club on Sunday in Palos Verdes Estates, California. [GETTY IMAGES/YONHAP]

Kim Hyo-joo tied for third place alongside Patty Tavatanakit of Thailand at the DIO Implant LA Open at Palos Verdes Estates in California on Sunday, managing the highest finish by a Korean golfer at the LPGA event.

The 27-year-old managed 12-under-par, 272, missing the chance to become the first ever Korean golfer to win the competition by a margin of three strokes.

Ruoning Yin of China took the title with 15-under-par, 269, with runner-up Georgia Hall of England recording 14-under-par, 270.

With Sunday’s title, Yin became the second Chinese golfer to win an LPGA tournament since 10-time LPGA Tour champion Shanshan Feng, who retired last August.

It was also the 20-year-old Chinese golfer’s first LPGA title.

Although Kim narrowly missed the title, she pulled off her best performance of the year yet.

She tied for 10th place in the Honda LPGA Thailand in February and finished in eighth in last month’s HSBC Women’s World Championship.

Other prominent Korean golfers at the event failed to shine.

Cho Hye-jin and Ryu Hae-ran tied for 18th place with five-under-par, 279 — the second best finish by Korean golfers.

Ko Jin-young, who ranks third on the Rolex Women’s Golf Rankings, tied for 25th with an uninspiring four-under-par, 280.

With Sunday’s result, the No. 3 golfer missed an opportunity to reclaim the top position on the rankings that she ceded last November.

No. 1 Lydia Ko of New Zealand didn't show her best side either as she tied for 34th with one more stroke than Ko Jin-young.

The Kiwi has yet to win an LPGA event this year.

Meanwhile, Kim will take a break for one week before competing in the LPGA Lotte Championship taking place in Hawaii on April 12.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]