Sei Young Kim had never heard of Isao Aoki. Can’t really blame her. Kim wasn’t born until 10 years, almost to the day, after Aoki made international golf and Hawaii sports history with an incredible shot to win the 1983 Hawaiian Open.

Aoki holed a 128-yard wedge from the rough on No. 18 at Waialae for eagle and a one-stroke victory over Jack Renner. It was a landmark event worldwide and not just because of the one incredible shot — Aoki, from Japan, became the first Asian to win a PGA event.

In the decades since, the game has globalized, so it’s not huge news that a baby-faced 22-year-old Korean rookie has won the Lotte Championship at Ko Olina. In its four years of existence, players representing four countries on three continents have won the LPGA event.

But the way Kim did it is reminiscent of Aoki’s miracle wedge, which has been referred to often as a "shot heard around the world."

Kim’s victory is perhaps even more improbable because she needed to hole a chip from 18 feet just to force a playoff with Inbee Park — winner of 12 LPGA tournaments, including five majors, and an intimidating force with her unflappable calm.

The chip wasn’t a miracle shot, but it certainly wasn’t routine.

"To be able to do it in that kind of situation, I really definitely give her that," Park said.

And this came after Kim had plunked her tee shot on 18 into the water hazard fronting the green, and Park appeared to be on her way to a routine tourney-winning par.

But Kim survived and advanced with the chip shot, which turned out to be just the opening act.

On the second shot of the playoff, also at No. 18, Kim Possible did the impossible, two-hopping an 8-iron into the same cup she’d just chipped into.

The gallery ringing the 18th green paused for a split-second in disbelief before erupting.

Then Park, to her credit, launched a desperation shot that was on line, but a few feet short.

It’s Kim’s second LPGA win … but, incredibly, the par-4 eagle was not her most dramatic shot to key a tournament victory. She said she won with a hole-in-one on the 17th hole on the Korean tour.

"I think this is starting to become some kind of a habit for me," she said through interpreter Sean Pyun.

Now, the question is what can the LPGA do for an encore at Ko Olina; each year of the Lotte Championship has outdone the previous in terms of excitement.

In the 2012 debut, popular Ai Miyazato of Japan won. Two years ago, Norwegian Suzann Petterson edged American Lizette Salas in a playoff and last year hometown girl Michelle Wie won for the first time as a pro on American soil.

Now this … a walk-off win by a blossoming star, a kid who even before the second-best shot of her life wasn’t afraid to show emotion after clutch par putts during the three-way battle with Park and I.K. Kim.

She’s into skateboarding (just watching) and tae kwon do (which she learned from her father).

"I think it helped me from a physical standpoint," she said. "I’m pretty small, but I think that’s probably the reason why I can hit a long shot."

That 8-iron was certainly a long shot, of a different kind. The kind you hit once in a lifetime, if you’re lucky — and if you’re good enough to get yourself in position for it to mean something.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 429-4783. His blog is at hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.