Haeran Ryu Triumphs in Women’s PGA Championship

Haeran Ryu claimed her first major victory at the Women’s PGA Championship, overcoming a challenging start to win by two strokes over Ina Yoon. The event concluded at Hazeltine National Golf Club amidst windy conditions. Ryu, who started with a 2-under 70, finished the competition at 13-under 275. With this win, she became the sixth South Korean to secure the title in the last 12 editions. Her victory was marked with joy as she celebrated with friends after her final putt.

Ryu’s win was notable for her remarkable turnaround, as she rallied from a 10-shot deficit after the first round. Initially tying for 70th place on Thursday with a score of 73, Ryu was behind Yoon, who set a tournament record with a score of 63. Despite not competing for six weeks prior to this event, Ryu overcame early struggles thanks to her coach’s advice. She emphasized maintaining trust in her skills and her caddie.

Brooke Henderson and Dewi Weber shared third place, finishing at 10 under. Americans Allisen Corpuz, Auston Kim, and Alison Lee shared fifth place, six strokes behind Ryu.

“Haeran played unbelievable today,” Yoon remarked after the tournament. “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.”

Meanwhile, LPGA Tour leader Nelly Korda finished her weekend on the greens with a 73, ending in a tie for eighth place. Her attempt to become the third player to win the first three majors of the season fell short.

Sunday’s play was delayed due to a thunderstorm in the Twin Cities metro area, which resulted in over an inch of rain and pushed tee times back by 3.5 hours. This led to softer greens and gusty conditions, affecting Hazeltine’s typically long fairways. Despite the challenges, Ryu excelled on Saturday, moving to the top with a one-shot lead over Henderson. She managed her five-stroke deficit early on by leveraging her strategic ball-striking skills.

After initially bogeying three of her first five holes, Ryu regained her form and played 4 under over the final 12 holes. Her top-three rankings in approach, tee to green, and greens in regulation aided her performance.

Weber made history as she became the fourth Dutch woman to finish in the top 20 at a major. Meanwhile, Yoon delivered her best tour performance, overcoming a tough 75 on Saturday and a double bogey on the third hole this Sunday.

Korda is now redirecting her focus to upcoming majors, the Evian Championship and Women’s British Open, which present opportunities to earn a grand slam following her setbacks in Minnesota. Reflecting on her performance, Korda explained that she focused on her gameplay rather than broader outcomes.