Kemp had gone into the final round tied for second behind Kim at six-under overall, but was unable to make up ground on the World No.7, who also carded a 69 to end the tournament – which she led from start to finish – at 13-under-par.

"I just had a really good attitude out there," Kemp said. "The course is quite tricky and everyone is going to make bogeys around this place, so I just did a really good job staying patient and accepting my bogeys. I knew I could make some birdies, but it was just tough out there.

Bianca Pagdanganan of the Philippines and Thailand's Atthaya Thitikul each fired six-under 65s on Sunday to settle for joint second at nine-under, with Kemp – who finished her round with birdies on 17 and 18 – outright fourth at eight-under-par.

"I drove it well and I think I putted great all week. I didn't hole as many today, but holed two on the last two, which really helped," Kemp said.

Kim's victory at Old American Golf Club in Texas was her sixth on the LPGA Tour and first since April 2022.

"My results this year wasn't bad, but there was some disappointment because I didn't have a win," Kim said. "I had a lot of the time to think just for myself, and before this year passes I really want to win.

"This week I was able to accomplish that and it was just a really happy week for me."

She found herself even for the round after 11 holes, with two birdies and two bogeys. The 28-year-old holed an important birdie at the par-4 14th before icing her win with a final birdie at the par-5 17th.

Thitikul flew down the back nine, with five birdies on her final seven holes to charge up the leaderboard and record her 10th top-10 finish of the season.

Hyo Joo Kim took the spoils at The Ascendant. PHOTO: Sam Hodde/Getty Images.

"Golfers have ups and downs, and ups (being) really up and down (being) really down," Thitikul said.

"I'm so grateful that it's happened this year.

"I'm just 20 and it's just my second year on Tour. I can learn a lot from this year."

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Pagdanganan also got red-hot late, making six of her seven birdies on the back nine to come in in six-under 30.

"Short game is pretty much everything in this sport, so I've been just putting in more time with chipping, putting, everything around the green," Pagdanganan said.

"My short game has been my saving grace I would say for the last two weeks."