Haeran Ryu emerged victorious at the Women’s PGA Championship, securing her first career major title by two strokes over Ina Yoon. The event took place at Hazeltine National Golf Club on a windy Sunday. Ryu completed the final round with a 2-under 70, finishing at 13-under 275. This achievement made her the sixth South Korean to win the championship in the last 12 editions.
Ryu, the 2023 LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year, accomplished a remarkable comeback. She became the first major champion in at least the last 60 years to recover from a 10-plus-shot deficit after the opening round. She started with a 73 on Thursday, placing her in a tie for 70th, while Yoon had a tournament-record 63 in the first round.
“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 par. Three Americans, Allisen Corpuz, Auston Kim, and Alison Lee, finished in a three-way tie for fifth, trailing Ryu by six strokes. LPGA Tour leader Nelly Korda ended up tied for eighth, unable to win the first three majors of the season after concluding her frustrating weekend on the greens with a 73.
The tournament faced delays due to a thunderstorm that closed the course for most of the morning. This resulted in more than an inch of rain, pushing tee times back by three and a half hours. Players faced soft greens and gusty winds, making Hazeltine’s long fairways even more challenging.
Ryu was five strokes behind Yoon at one point but surged to the top on Saturday, gaining a one-shot lead over Henderson. After bogeying three of her first five holes, Ryu found her rhythm and excelled in ball-striking, leading in approach shots, tee to green, and greens in regulation. Over the final 12 holes, she went 4 under, securing a relaxed finish compared to the tense start.
Dewi Weber achieved a notable performance, becoming one of the few women players from the Netherlands to finish in the top 20 at a major tournament, joining Anne van Dam from the 2024 British Women’s Open. On the men’s side, only one player from the Netherlands has accomplished this.
Ina Yoon, aged 23, recorded her best finish on the LPGA Tour. Despite a disappointing 75 on Saturday and a double bogey on Sunday, she demonstrated resilience under pressure.
“Little disappointed yesterday and today, but I think I did pretty good job being under pressure and it’s just part of golf,” Yoon said. “I think it’s going to be a really big lesson in the big picture.”
Korda turned her focus to the upcoming majors, striving for a grand slam despite recent setbacks. Although she was only three shots behind when making the turn, her short game faltered with five three-putts and a troublesome lakeside hole at Hazeltine. Her next challenge is the Evian Championship and Women’s British Open.
“I was just thinking about the way that I played,” Korda said, “not like the realistic big picture that everyone is talking about.”