Kim Min-sol celebrates after defeating Choi Ye-rim in a playoff to win the McCall·Mona Open. [Photo=KLPGA]
Kim Min-sol celebrates after defeating Choi Ye-rim in a playoff to win the McCall·Mona Open. [Photo=KLPGA]

Kim Min-sol defeated Choi Ye-rim on the second hole of a playoff Sunday to win the KLPGA Tour McCall·Mona Yongpyong Open, which carried a purse of 1 billion won ($647,000).

Playing the final round at Birchhill Country Club (par 72) in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, Kim shot a 2-under-par 70 to finish at 12-under 276, level with Choi. She then drained a birdie putt on the second playoff hole to claim the title.

The victory made Kim the first player on tour this season to reach three wins, putting her in position to sweep the individual title honors.

After both players halved the first playoff hole — the par-5 18th — with pars, Kim rolled in an uphill 4-meter birdie putt on the same hole in the second extra hole while Choi could only make par. Choi had a birdie chance from 6 meters but failed to convert, settling for her ninth runner-up finish.

Kim had entered the final round two strokes behind leader Noh Seung-hee, and consecutive bogeys on the fifth and sixth holes appeared to push her out of contention. She bounced back with five birdies through the 17th hole to turn the round around. At the par-3 17th, holding a one-stroke lead, she stuck her tee shot to within 1.6 meters of the pin and converted the birdie, seemingly putting the title out of reach.

A three-putt bogey on the final hole sent the match to a playoff. Holding a two-stroke lead heading to the par-5 18th, Kim needed only a par to win, but she struck her 4.6-meter birdie attempt too firmly and three-putted for bogey. Playing in the same group, Choi holed a 3.7-meter birdie putt to draw level and force extra holes.

Choi had lost a playoff to Park Hyun-kyung at this same tournament in 2024, and on Sunday she was again denied by a strong opponent. Since turning professional in 2017, she has yet to claim a win, settling for a ninth runner-up finish. The defeat extended her winless record in playoffs to four straight losses.

Noh, who had led heading into the final round, dropped two strokes on the day to finish at 10-under 278, tying Seong Yu-jin and Jeon Woo-ri for fourth place. She managed just one birdie against three bogeys.


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