Seo Gyo-rim Claims Come-from-Behind Victory for 3rd KLPGA Win of Season, Rises to No. 1 in Player of the Year Points

Seo Gyo-rim secured her third win of the season at the Korea Women's Professional Golf (KLPGA) Tour Mediheal-Hankook Ilbo Championship (total purse of 1.2 billion won) with a three-stroke comeback victory.

Playing the final fourth round of the tournament today (August 16) at the Myeongseongsan Course (par 72) of Montvert Country Club in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, Seo fired a blistering 8-under 64, racking up nine birdies against a single bogey.

Finishing with a total of 18-under 270, Seo pulled off a come-from-behind victory by edging out her同龄 rival Kim Min-sol, who shared the lead after the third round, by two strokes to take second place at 16-under 272.

Collecting the winner's prize of 216 million won along with her third victory of the season, Seo tied with Kim Min-sol in the multi-win category and climbed to the top of the Player of the Year points standings.

Starting the fourth round in fourth place, three strokes behind co-leaders Kim Min-sol and Choi Ye-rim, Seo aggressively chased the leading group by carding five birdies without a bogey through the 11th hole.

After stumbling with a bogey on the 12th hole (par 5), Seo bounced back using precise iron shots and putting to rattle off three consecutive birdies from the 13th hole (par 4) to the 15th hole (par 3).

Although victory was still uncertain at that point, the top of the leaderboard shifted dramatically when sole leader Kim Min-sol made a mistake.

Kim Min-sol sent her tee shot into the woods on the 14th hole (par 5), forcing her to declare an unplayable lie, return to the tee box, and play her third shot.

After reaching the green in five shots and two-putting, Kim dropped two strokes on the hole alone.

Seo, who became the sole leader, expressed regret after missing a birdie putt of less than 3 meters on the 17th hole (par 3).

Meanwhile, overcoming her double bogey on the 14th hole, Kim Min-sol applied pressure on Seo by making consecutive birdies on the 15th hole (par 3) and 16th hole (par 4) to close within a single stroke.

However, Seo sealed the victory by sinking a thrilling 5-meter birdie putt on the 18th hole (par 4), finishing her round first with a two-stroke lead.

Kim Min-sol, who was on the verge of her fourth win of the season, slipped to second in the Player of the Year points but maintained her position at the top of the season prize money rankings.

(Photo provided by KLPGA, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.