When the final round of the IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture began, there were nine athletes within two-shots of the leaders. On a golf course that can yield birdies on almost every hole, while also have bogeys lying around every corner, the winner could have come from almost any group teeing off the front nine for the final round. In the end, the winner came from the final grouping of the day, with Gina Kim picking up her second career Epson Tour victory and her first since the 2022 Inova Mission Inn and Resort Club Championship.

Kim and Jeongeun Lee5 shared the lead entering the final 18 holes, with Dana Fall rounding out the final grouping of the day. Kim fell behind early, making her first bogey of the day before she was able to make a birdie. The dropped shot on the second hole put her behind the 8-ball early, but the Duke University alum responded immediately and emphatically. The 24-year-old rolled in back-to-back birdies on holes three and four to grab a share of the lead.

A string of pars followed for Kim, who made the turn with a 1-under 35. The pars continued onto the back nine until she was able to roll in her third birdie of the day on Alaqua Country Club’s 13th. A bogey followed on the 14th, however.

Just as she did earlier in the round, the North Carolina native responded with back-to-back birdies, but this time on holes 15 and 16, to grab the solo lead. Leading by one-shot with just two holes remaining, Kim finished with two pars to close out the IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture.

“It feels great. Obviously, its been three years so its been a hot-minute since its happened,” said Kim. “With the experience of already winning once, I think I took it pretty well. I feel like coming down the stretch with all the pressure, having all that experience really helped down the stretch. I am really happy with how I handled myself over the last few holes.”

Minji Kang was the closest competitor to Kim towards the last stretch of holes. The Republic of Korea native carded a 4-under 67 in her final round, making six birdies on the day with two bogeys. Four of the birdies came on the back nine while Kang narrowed the lead against Kim, eventually taking the lead at 10-under. The 25-year-old needed just one more putt to fall to find herself in a playoff but never found it. The runner-up finish is Kang’s best result of the season, however, putting her in a good position in the Race for the Card heading into a five-week break.

The Epson Tour will return to action April 25-27 at the IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in Beaumont, Calif.

Competition Highlights

2nd: Minji Kang
- Made six birdies and two bogeys for a 4-under final round
- Second top-10 finish of the 2025 season
  - Earned a T10 result at the Atlantic Beach Classic presented by Access Golf
- 2023 Epson Tour graduate
  - Finished the season at No. 5 in the Race for the Card
  - Earned LPGA Tour membership for 2024
    - Best finish was T19 at the CPKC Women’s Open
T3: Clariss Guce and Dana Fall

Guce

Made four birdies and three bogeys on Sunday
Best finish of 2025
- Made three of three cuts during Florida swing
Her 20th Epson Tour career top-10 finish

Fall

Scorecard saw four birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey during the final round
First top-10 finish of 2025
- Played in the final group of the Atlantic Beach Classic presented by Access Golf but finished T24
First top-10 finish since being solo 4th at the 2024 Twin Bridges Championship

T5: Valery Plata, Lindsey McCurdy Peek and Josee Doyon

Plata

Made five birdies and two bogeys for a 3-under final round
- Jumped from T20 to T5
Started 2025 with two cuts made in three starts
- This is her best finish this season
Won the 2024 Central Florida Championship

McCurdy Peek

Saw seven birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey on her final round scorecard
Made three of three cuts during the Florida stretch
- Her second top-10 finish in three events
  - Was T9 at the Central Florida Championship
2024 IOA Golf Classic runner up
- Her second tournament top-10 finish in two years

Doyon

Scorecard saw four birdies and two bogeys on Sunday
First Epson Tour career top-10 finish
First made cut of the 2025 season

In The Winner's Circle - Gina Kim

CATEGORY
2025 Race for the CardRank	2
2025 Race for the Card Points	537.600
Career Epson Tour Wins	2
Career Official Epson Tour Top 10s	5
Career Official Epson Tour Money	$119,628
Career Official LPGA Tour Top 10s	1
Career Official LPGA Tour Money	$315,640
Global Tour Wins	2 (Epson Tour)

Hometown: Durham, North Carolina

Age: 24

Rookie Year: 2022

Of Note

Has made all three cuts this season
- Previous best finish was T29 at the Central Florida Championship
Competed on the LPGA Tour in 2023 and 2024
- Earned status through the 2022 Epson Tour Race for the card
  - Finished 8th
- Career best T3 finish at the 2023 Portland Classic
Second Epson Tour victory
- Won the 2022 Inova Mission Inn Resort and Club Championship on the Epson Tour
Medalist at Stage I of the 2021 LPGA Qualifying Tournament with rounds of 71-69-66-67
Competed collegiately at Duke University
- Led the Blue Devils to the 2019 NCAA Championship title
- Captured the 2021 ACC Championship individual title with a score of 10-under par, matching Duke’s lowest 54-hole ledger in the event
- Competed at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in 2019 (MC) and 2021 (T13)

Quotable

Anne Chen (-4, T12) on a three-under final round:

“It was definitely a grind once the wind started. You know, shots got harder, and putts started not breaking as much. So it was kind of good. I played with a great group of girls. I was able to hit a lot of shots close and go for par-5s and convert birdies.”

Stephanie Connelly Eiswerth (-2, T21) on a final round Ace on Alaqua Country Club’s No. 2:

“Oh it's so fun. You know, the back nine, started out there, and there's a couple of birdie opportunities, but there's also some tough holes for me. And then I had just had an edge putt on number one that didn't fall for birdie. Then I hit it really well on number two there, and just one-hopped in. That was awesome. I've never had one in competition, so that was really cool. And I just kind of kept hitting it well the rest of the way, so it was nice to be able to finish it off.”

Hailee Cooper (-2, T21) on making three cuts in three events:

“I felt like I wasn't done. I feel like I could have done a lot better last year, even though I played really well, so I was like, let's just kind of bring it into a fresh start of 2025, and I did. I still haven't really played my best, but I'm very grateful to have made three cuts and had some good finishes. I feel good about it. I feel like I'm three for three.”

Gina Kim Wins for the First Time Since 2022 at the IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture

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