Miyu Yamashita holds off Charley Hull to win first major at Women's Open
Hull, three strokes behind on six under overnight, emerged as the closest challenger as she picked up five birdies in a stretch of 10 holes either side of the turn.
That twice took the Englishwoman within one shot of the lead but Yamashita, who put herself in a position of strength with three birdies on the front nine, was always able to keep herself in front.
A key period came as Yamashita overcame a nervy missed birdie putt to save par on the 14th by holing from an awkward distance.
At around the same time Hull, playing two groups ahead, dropped a shot at the par-four 16th after visiting a bunker and the rough before underhitting a chip.
It might have been worse but for holing a lengthy putt to escape with a bogey, but another shot was given away on the following hole.
That saw Yamashita's lead increase to three and allowed her to finish in relative comfort, with a bogey on the 17th the only blemish on her card.
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Hull ended joint-second on nine under – her fourth runner-up finish in a major – alongside Minami Katsu of Japan, who birdied the last to shoot 69.
Kim's challenge faded with a round that featured six bogeys but the 2020 US Women's Open winner managed to claw her way back into a share of fourth place on seven under with a birdie on the last. Another Japanese player, Rio Takeda, was alongside her after a 71.
Lottie Woad, winner of the Scottish Open last week on her professional debut, overcame bogeys on her first two holes to shoot 71 and finish in a tie for eighth place on four under.
Another Englishwoman, Mimi Rhodes, had a moment to savour with a remarkable hole-in-one on the par-three fifth, thanks to a fortunate ricochet off playing partner Stephanie Kyriacou's ball.
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Australian Kyriacou, who made a hole-in-one herself in the second round, played first and went close to another ace with a shot that came to rest inches from the cup.
Rhodes then played a very similar shot and, luckily for her, Kyriacou's ball was handily placed for it to deflect in off.
That was the undoubted highlight of a 74 that saw Rhodes finish alongside Georgia Hall, who shot 75, on one under.
Reflecting on a success that came the day after her 24th birthday, Yamashita said at the presentation ceremony: 'To win such an historic tournament is such an incredible feeling. To have my family around me and have so much support around me is just amazing. It's something very special.
'The course was set up very difficult, but it was in brilliant condition and the amount of fans I had around me pushed me to the victory.'
Ireland's Leona Maguire finished on 11-over for the tourmanent after a seven-over final round of 79.
The Cavan native endured a testing day with a triple bogey on the ninth role, and other bogeys on holes 6, 13, 14 and 15.
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It speaks volumes that Farrell kept him in the squad right through for the rest of the tour in the hope he'd be fit to play. Then there's Josh van der Flier. One of Farrell's most trusted and consistent players in an Ireland shirt, he's played 41 of the last 44 Ireland internationals, and started 39 of them, but has had to watch on as Tom Curry, Jac Morgan and Ben Earl edged ahead of him in the depth chart. Missing out on the third Test, with the series already sewn up, will surely have hurt. How he reacts next season will be fascinating to see. Farrell to return in 2029? He may not have delivered the 3-0 series win which would have put the Lions up there with the great touring sides, but the general sense remains that the head coach job for 2029 is his, if he wants it. 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