HOUSTON - Japan's Hinako Shibuno posted a second straight 74 to tumble out of the lead and into fourth while Kim A Lim of South Korea rallied from five shots behind to win the U.S. Women's Open with a record-tying comeback on Monday.
Shibuno was unable to protect her one-shot lead through 54 holes, finishing two strokes behind winner Kim at 1-under 283 overall in the final major championship of the year. Kim closed with a 67 and was one of only six players to break par.
Shibuno, who had sprinted out to a three-shot lead after the first two rounds, had five bogeys against a pair of birdies in the final round played in freezing conditions at Champions Golf Club in Houston.
"It's frustrating but I have to accept that this is all I've got now," Shibuno said.
"It was as if I played 18 holes without ever finding my swing. I couldn't find my rhythm until the end," she said.
The 2019 Women's British Open winner was looking to become the third player to win majors as her first two LPGA Tour titles.
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Shibuno declined to take up LPGA membership for 2020 after her major win and needed to win this tournament in order to join the U.S. women's tour next year.
The final round of the U.S. Women's Open had been delayed by a day because of bad weather, leading to an unusual Monday finish.
Teeing off in the final group, Shibuno made four bogeys in the first 11 holes to fall back to level par. She also bogeyed the 17th, but she also made two birdies on the back nine to shoot 3-over 74.
The 22-year-old has had poor results at the majors in 2020, missing the cut in her title defense at the Women's British Open in August, then tying for 51st and 58th at the ANA Inspiration and KPMG Women's PGA Championship, respectively.
The Evian Championship in France, the year's first major, was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Shibuno's three other 2020 LPGA Tour starts have also been disappointing. She missed the cut at the Ladies Scottish Open, tied for 24th at the Cambia Portland Classic and tied for 27th at the ShopRite Classic.
Kim, ranked 94th in the world at the start of the week, was making her major debut at the U.S. Women's Open. She now has three professional wins, her previous two coming on the LPGA of Korea Tour.
World No. 1 Ko Jin Young of South Korea and American Amy Olson tied for second, one shot back. Behind Shibuno, the next best-placed Japanese was Sayaka Takahashi, who tied for 11th with rounds of 73-72-72-71.
Eri Okayama was 13th, Nasa Hataoka 23rd, Mone Inami 54th, Yui Kawamoto 60th, Mamiko Higa 61st and Kana Mikashima 65th.
This year's U.S. Women's Open was postponed from June to December due to the coronavirus pandemic.
