Yoo Hae-ran Wins KPMG Women's PGA Championship for First Major Title

Yoo Hae-ran has savored the joy of her first-ever major championship victory, claiming the top spot at the LPGA Tour's KPMG Women's PGA Championship, which features a total purse of 13 million dollars.
On the final day of the tournament held on June 29 at Hazeltine National Golf Club (par 72) in Chaska, Minnesota, Yoo carded a 2-under 70, including five birdies and three bogeys.
With a final score of 13-under 275, Yoo climbed to the top of the leaderboard and secured the winner's prize of 1.95 million dollars, the largest in women's golf history.
Yoon Ina finished alone in second place at 11-under 277, while Kim Sei-young and Kim A-lim tied for eighth (6-under 282), placing four South Korean players in the top 10.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda (USA) also finished in a tie for eighth at 6-under 282.
Yoo, who came close to her first win of the season with a runner-up finish at the Kroger Queen City Championship last month, finally achieved her first victory of the season at the major KPMG Women's PGA Championship, marking her fourth career LPGA win.
This is the first time Yoo, the 2023 LPGA Rookie of the Year, has won a major tournament.
Furthermore, she is the first South Korean to win this event in two years, following Amy Yang in 2024.
This tournament is well-known as a fertile ground for South Korean players.
After Pak Se-ri announced her victories three times (1998, 2002, 2006), Park In-bee won three consecutive times starting in 2013. Since then, Park Sung-hyun (2018), Kim Sei-young (2020), Chun In-gee (2022), and Amy Yang (2024) have continued the lineage of South Korean champions, with Yoo Hae-ran now joining the list.
Yoo is the third South Korean player to win on the LPGA Tour this season, following Lee Mi-hyang (one win) and Kim Hyo-joo (two wins).
Players struggled to maintain their condition as the final round tee-off was delayed by more than three hours due to severe weather, including thunder and lightning.
Starting the final round as the sole leader, Yoo had a shaky start with a bogey on the first hole (par 4).
After making her first birdie on the third hole (par 5), Yoo hit a bogey on the fourth hole (par 3) when her par putt hit the rim of the cup and bounced out. She then faced a crisis, falling into a tie for second after consecutive bogeys, including a bunker shot on the fifth hole (par 4).
After saving par on the sixth hole (par 4), Yoo reached the green in two on the seventh hole (par 5) and made a birdie, despite her eagle putt stopping just short of the hole, to return to a tie for the lead. She then took sole possession of the lead again by sinking a 4.4-meter birdie putt on the ninth hole (par 4).
Despite the challenges of strong winds, Yoo displayed stable play in the front nine, trading three birdies for three bogeys.
Yoo's momentum shifted upward in the back nine.
On the 12th hole (par 4), although her tee shot went into the rough, she reached the green in two and sank a 4.3-meter birdie putt, extending her lead over second-place Henderson to two strokes and signaling a potential victory.
Luck was also on her side.
Henderson, who was competing for the lead, bogeyed the 13th hole (par 4), and with Yoo finishing with a par, the gap widened to three strokes.
Yoo moved one step closer to victory by successfully saving par on the 16th hole (par 4).
On the final 18th hole (par 4), after Henderson finished her round with a par, Yoo smiled broadly after sinking her winning par putt just in front of the hole, finally realizing she had won her first major title amidst the celebrations of her fellow players. (Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.