▲ Professional golfer Lee Ye-won
Known as the "Queen of Spring," Lee Ye-won has proven her strength in the fall as well, capturing her 11th career victory.
Playing on the final day of the Korea Women's Professional Golf (KLPGA) Tour S-Oil Championship (total purse of 1 billion KRW) at Elysian Jeju Country Club (par 72) in Jeju City today (1st), Lee shot a 1-under-par 71 with two birdies and a bogey.
With a final total of 12-under-par 276, Lee beat runner-up Moon Jung-min (9-under-par 279) by three strokes to secure her second win of the season and the 11th of her career.
Entering the final round trailing Lee Ji-hyun, born in 1998, by one stroke in second place, Lee maintained her score amid strong winds and adverse weather to rise to the top of the leaderboard.
On the 2nd hole (par 4), her second shot landed on the fringe, but she successfully sank a 5.3-meter birdie putt to gain momentum.
After a string of par saves, she landed her second shot within one meter of the hole on the 8th hole (par 4) to pick up her second birdie.
Having shaved two strokes off in the front nine, Lee continued her steady play in the back nine.
Although she committed her first bogey after missing a 1.3-meter par putt on the 12th hole (par 3), she did not falter.
Receiving the winner's prize of 180 million KRW, Lee increased her total accumulated prize money for the season to 934,060,098 KRW, jumping from 5th to 4th in the prize money rankings.
Lee has been exceptionally strong in the spring, claiming eight of her 10 previous KLPGA Tour titles between March and May.
Winning her first career title at the Lotte Rent-a-Car Ladies Open in April 2023, Lee recorded three wins each in 2024 and 2025, all of which were harvested at tournaments held from March to May.
This season, she also finished as runner-up at the Rejuran Championship in March before claiming her first win of the season at the Dukshin EPC Championship in April.
Having struggled with stamina maintenance every year and suffering poor performances past the summer, she showed great condition this season by finishing in the top 10 at all three tournaments held in October.
This marks the first time Lee has won a tournament held in November or later.
Due to the strong winds, most players struggled with over-par scores today.
Among the 68 participating players, only four, including Lee, finished under par.
Lee Ji-hyun, who was the leader through the third round, also dropped to a tie for 3rd after shooting a 6-over-par 78.
Kim Min-sol, who has recorded three wins, four runner-up finishes, and two 3rd-place finishes this season, shot a 3-over-par 75 today to finish tied for 12th with a final total of 3-under-par 285.
Adding 11.74 million KRW in prize money, Kim Min-sol reached a season total of 1,601,819,428 KRW, becoming the first player in KLPGA Tour history to surpass 1.6 billion KRW in prize money in a single season.
Defending champion Ko Ji-won finished tied for 18th with a final total of 1-under-par 287.
The results of this tournament also finalized the players who have earned seeding rights for the 2027 regular tour.
The KLPGA Tour grants regular tour seeding rights for the following season to the top 60 players in the prize money rankings. Since the season's final tournament, the Daebo HouseD Championship, is restricted to only the top 60 in prize money, this tournament served as the final opportunity to secure seeding.
Kim Ji-yoon maintained 60th place with 171.13 million KRW, grabbing the last ticket for seeding rights.
On the other hand, Lee Jae-yoon finished 61st with 167,774,643 KRW, creating contrasting fortunes.
Players outside the top 60 will have to try again to earn seeding through the 2027 Regular Tour Seeding Qualifier.
(Photo provided by KLPGA Tour, Yonhap News)
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