LPGA Player Christina Kim Talks About Winning Her 1st Tournament in 222 Starts

It took Christina Kim 222 starts to hoist another trophy. The 30-year-old golfer secured the Lorena Ochoa Invitational held in Mexico City on Sunday.

Kim entered the final round with a five-shot lead over Shanshan Feng, but on the last hole of regulation the American missed her par putt, while Feng birdied 18th.

All of a sudden, Kim's wait got longer, but she finally secured the victory with a par.

In an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report, she talked about what it feels like to break a nine-year winless streak in one of her closest friends' tournament.

Bleacher Report: You had to play 222 tournaments to get back to the winner's circle.

Christina Kim: Well, honestly I feel so good. I have no words right now. It's been such a long journey for me. I got inspiration from people like Lorena who is lifting the lives of so many people here in Mexico.

Regardless how many times I have played or how many tournaments I haven't won, I have a wonderful life, and I'm really lucky that I have it. To be out here, super stressed out by a playoff, is way much better than a lot of things you could have.

B/R: You came forward about struggling with depression, and after that you seem to be calmer. Today you were less emotional.

CK: This week I came in thinking "What would Lorena do?" because even when she has "la pasion" and fire, whenever she's in the golf course, it's like an angel—she walks and almost floats. It's just golf. Life can be much more difficult.

My mother gave me some incredible words when she knew what I was going through: "No matter how dark the night is, there's always a beautiful sunrise tomorrow."

Understanding that it is just a game helped, but I was going crazy on the inside. I was putting my hands behind my back, because that was something I saw Lorena do, and it actually opens up your shoulders and gives you better posture. It calmed me quite a bit.

B/R: You were putting fantastic all week.

CK: Yeah, I don't know where that came from. I was thinking a lot about Lorena, seriously. She was very strong in every aspect of her game, but she had a fantastic touch around the greens.

I was lucky enough to grow in grass similar to this. I was able to give myself enough opportunities. I don't know what was going on with my putting, but it was good!

B/R: Your mindset was so strong from Thursday to Sunday's front nine, after that it seemed to be shaky.

CK: Pressure. It was 222 starts, and I haven't been in this position before. I've never led wire to wire, and so there was a lot of pressure. I was loving it, because that meant I was doing something right and I was playing well, but oh my god, it sucked! 

I struggled a bit in the Asian swing, because I would go very low on Sunday but in the other three rounds it wouldn't stick.

So this week we pretended that every day was Sunday, and it worked.

Darren Carroll/Getty Images

B/R: You said this week that you turned 30 earlier this year and so you feel like it is your second act in life. Golf-wise, does this win open a new act too?

CK: I would like to think so. My third victory in 12 years and nine years since my last one. I'd like to think that I played really well the last 16 months or so. 

I have had a lot of up and downs, but after what I went through several years back (she had to go back to Q-School) I've come to the conclusion that it is just a game.

I feel like 30 is when life starts. Maybe next year I'll say 31 is when life starts. I'll just say it every year. I'm OK right now.

In my 20s I thought I knew everything, but obviously I didn't. Now, in my 30s, I know nothing, and that's OK.