Birdie on 18th seals third win of season, fifth career title

Kim sweeps player of the year, money title and rookie honors for first time in 20 years

Yoo Hyun-jo celebrates after sinking the winning birdie putt on the 18th hole in the final round of the Daebo Housedi Championship, the KLPGA Tour's 2026 season finale, at Seowon Hills West-South Course in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Sunday. [KLPGA]
Yoo Hyun-jo celebrates after sinking the winning birdie putt on the 18th hole in the final round of the Daebo Housedi Championship, the KLPGA Tour's 2026 season finale, at Seowon Hills West-South Course in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Sunday. [KLPGA]

Yoo Hyun-jo claimed a dramatic victory at the KLPGA Tour's 2026 season finale Sunday, sealing the win with a birdie on the final hole. Kim Min-sol, meanwhile, swept the player of the year award, the money title and the rookie of the year honor to complete a personal triple crown.

Yoo carded a 4-under-par 68 in the final round of the Daebo Housedi Championship — purse 1.2 billion won ($894,000) — at Seowon Hills West-South Course (par 72, 6,649 yards) in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, posting five birdies against one bogey. Her three-round total of 14-under-par 202 edged Lee Ye-won (13-under 203) by one stroke, giving Yoo her third win of the season and fifth of her career. The winner's share was 300 million won.

Tied for the lead with Seo Eo-jin through 36 holes, Yoo birdied the par-3 4th hole but dropped a shot at the par-4 6th with a three-putt bogey. She regained momentum at the par-5 8th, holing an 11-meter birdie putt. Back-nine birdies at the par-4 13th and par-5 15th stretched her advantage, but Lee pulled level by birdieing the par-3 16th and par-4 17th in succession.

The title was decided at the par-4 18th. Yoo hit her second shot to within 1.2 meters of the hole, while Lee left herself 7.3 meters away. Lee made par, but Yoo drained the birdie putt to clinch the championship.

Yoo Hyun-jo plays an iron shot on the 18th hole in the final round of the Daebo Housedi Championship at Seowon Hills West-South Course in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Sunday. [KLPGA]
Yoo Hyun-jo plays an iron shot on the 18th hole in the final round of the Daebo Housedi Championship at Seowon Hills West-South Course in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Sunday. [KLPGA]
Lee Ye-won tees off on the 1st hole in the final round of the Daebo Housedi Championship at Seowon Hills West-South Course in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Sunday. [KLPGA]
Lee Ye-won tees off on the 1st hole in the final round of the Daebo Housedi Championship at Seowon Hills West-South Course in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Sunday. [KLPGA]

Sunday's victory was Yoo's third of the season, following wins at the DB Women's Championship in May and the HJ Shipbuilding & Construction-Dongbu Championship in October. A rookie of the year honoree in 2024 and player of the year and lowest scoring average winner in 2025, Yoo also claimed the lowest scoring average award for a second consecutive year in 2026 with a 70.6795 average. She finished third on both the money list and the player of the year points standings.

Lee Ye-won finished as runner-up. Seong Yu-jin (12-under 204), Lim Hee-jeong (11-under 205) and Han Jin-seon (10-under 206) rounded out third through fifth place.

Kim Min-sol was the day's big winner in the individual title race. Kim shot a final-round 5-under 67 to finish at 8-under 208, tied for sixth, and added 42 player of the year points to reach a season total of 567 — enough to overtake Seo Gyo-rim (563 points) by four points and clinch the player of the year award.

Kim also secured the money title with cumulative season earnings of 1.63 billion won, breaking the KLPGA Tour's single-season earnings record of 1.6 billion won. With the rookie of the year award already in hand, Kim became the first player since Shin Ji-yai in 2006 to sweep the player of the year, money title and rookie honors in a single season — a feat not achieved in 20 years.

Seo Gyo-rim, who had led the player of the year standings heading into the finale, stumbled to a 5-over 77 on Sunday and finished at 4-over 220, tied for 52nd. She missed out on both the player of the year award and the money title but claimed the most wins title with four victories on the season. The season-long title battle between the two 2006-born rivals ended in Kim's favor.

Kim Min-sol plays an iron shot on the 2nd hole in the final round of the Daebo Housedi Championship at Seowon Hills West-South Course in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Sunday. Kim finished at 8-under 208, tied for sixth, to clinch the player of the year award and money title, completing a season triple crown that also included the rookie of the year honor. [KLPGA]
Kim Min-sol plays an iron shot on the 2nd hole in the final round of the Daebo Housedi Championship at Seowon Hills West-South Course in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Sunday. Kim finished at 8-under 208, tied for sixth, to clinch the player of the year award and money title, completing a season triple crown that also included the rookie of the year honor. [KLPGA]

yjc@heraldcorp.com