CHASKA, Minn. — Haeran Ryu recovered from a rough start to secure her first major title, winning the Women’s PGA Championship by two strokes over Ina Yoon on a windy Sunday at Hazeltine National Golf Club.
Sports News
Ryu shot a 2-under 70 to finish at 13-under 275 and become the sixth South Korean to win the event over the past 12 editions, flashing a big smile as she holed her last putt and friends ran out to douse her in celebration.
The 2023 LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year, who was 10 shots back after an opening-round 73 on Thursday, tied the largest 18-hole comeback by a major champion in LPGA Tour history (Carol Mann, 1964 Western Open). She played the final three rounds at 14-under par, six shots better than any other player.
Playing her first event in six weeks, Ryu shook off whatever rust she showed and heeded some keen advice from her coach about moving forward.
Key Moments
“You don’t have another problem so just trust your shot and trust your caddie and trust yourself on the golf course,” Ryu said during the trophy ceremony on the 18th green.
Brooke Henderson and Dewi Weber tied for third at 10 under. Three Americans — Allisen Corpuz, Auston Kim and Alison Lee — tied for fifth place, six strokes behind Ryu.
“Haeran played unbelievable today,” Yoon said. “Brooke, I like to play her, play with her all the time. She’s such a nice girl. I learned a lot today, this week.”
Analysis
Nelly Korda wrapped up a frustrating weekend on the greens with a 73 to finish in a four-way tie for eighth, failing to become the third woman to win the first three majors of the season.
The course was closed for most of the morning while a thunderstorm moved through the Twin Cities metro area, dropping more than an inch of rain and pushing all of the tee times back by 3½ hours while players tried to stay focused and loose. That left the greens extra soft and the air especially gusty, making many of Hazeltine’s notoriously long fairways even trickier.
Ryu was five strokes behind Yoon in a four-way tie for second after two rounds and surged to the top on Saturday to take a one-shot lead over Henderson, the third time she’s been ahead or tied for the lead entering the final round of a major.
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