Yoshida claims maiden LPGA title as Ryu squanders four-shot lead

Choi Hye-jin also finishes at 16 under, runner-up for second straight week

Yoshida: 'I don't think I could pull off that pitching wedge on 17 again'

Ryu Hae-ran (left) and Choi Hye-jin tee off on the sixth hole during the final round of the LPGA Tour BMW Ladies Championship at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam-gun, South Jeolla Province, on Sunday. [Tournament organizing committee]

Ryu Hae-ran could not protect a four-shot lead and finished runner-up at the LPGA Tour BMW Ladies Championship, which carried a purse of $2.35 million.

Ryu carded one birdie and two bogeys for a 1-over-par 73 in the final round Sunday at Pine Beach Golf Links (par 72) in Haenam-gun, South Jeolla Province. Her total of 16-under-par 272 left her tied for second with Choi Hye-jin. Yoshida Yuri of Japan claimed the title at 17-under-par 271.

Ryu, who had already won two majors this season — the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and the Amundi Evian Championship — was chasing a third victory, but dropped shots on the final day and fell just short.

Ryu had entered the day as the sole leader, four strokes clear of the joint second-place group, but struggled with her accuracy off the tee. Yoshida, starting four back, quickly erased the deficit — holing a chip-in eagle on the par-5 second hole and then making three consecutive birdies on holes five through seven to move ahead of Ryu.

Ryu, who had been playing steady par golf, made a bogey on the par-4 16th after her tee shot found the trees in the right penalty zone. Yoshida then extended her lead to two strokes over Ryu and Choi by sticking a bunker shot to within 1.2 meters on the par-5 17th for birdie. Ryu answered with a birdie of her own on the same hole, holing out from 80 centimeters after her own bunker shot.

Yoshida then three-putted the par-4 18th for bogey, pulling the two players level again. But Ryu's hopes unraveled on the same hole: her tee shot ran up a mound beside the cart path on the left, and her second found a bunker. She reached the green with her third but two-putted for bogey, letting the title slip away.

Choi also came up short on the final hole, her birdie putt from about three meters grazing the cup before sliding past. She finished the day at 3-under-par 69 and tied for second. The result gave Choi runner-up finishes in back-to-back weeks, following her second-place finish at last week's Buick LPGA Shanghai. Her first LPGA Tour victory will have to wait.

Yoshida Yuri of Japan smiles as she holds the trophy after winning the LPGA Tour BMW Ladies Championship at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam-gun, South Jeolla Province, on Sunday. [Tournament organizing committee]

Yoshida, who made her LPGA Tour debut in 2024, claimed her first tour victory in her 74th start. The winner's share came to $352,500.

At her post-round press conference, Yoshida recalled her 2023 World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup victory on the Japan LPGA Tour, when she also prevailed in difficult weather, beating Shin Ji-yai by three strokes. "On rainy days, I focus more on carry distance than roll," she said. On the pivotal bunker shot at the 17th, she laughed and said, "I hit a pitching wedge from 48 yards — I don't think I could pull that off again even if I tried."

Kim Min-sol, who competes on the KLPGA Tour, fired a 5-under-par 67 on Sunday to finish at 15-under-par 273, tying for fourth with Kim Hyo-joo. She posted the best result among the KLPGA Tour players in the field.

Kim Min-sun 7 finished 10th outright at 13-under-par 275, while Park Min-ji tied for 11th at 12-under-par 276.

yjc@heraldcorp.com