(Yeoju = Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Tae-yong = Yoo Hae-ran, who won two major tournaments on the LPGA Tour this season, also won the major tournament on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf (KLPGA) Tour.
Yoo Hae-ran, ranked 3rd in the world in women's golf, reduced 3 strokes with 4 birdies and 1 bogey in the 4th round on the last day of the 26th Hite Jinro Championship (total prize money of 1.5 billion won), the last major tournament of the KLPGA season held at Blue Heron Golf Club (par 72) in Yeoju, Gyeonggi-do on the 4th.
Yoo Hae-ran, who hit a total of 284 strokes at 4 under par, comfortably beat Minsol Kim and Minju Kim (total of even par 288 strokes), who were tied for second place, by 4 strokes and rose to the top.
Yoo Hae-ran, who visited the Korean stage two years and two months after participating in the Jeju Samdasoo Masters in August 2024, won the sixth championship cup on the KLPGA Tour and received 270 million won in prize money.
This is the first time that Yoo Hae-ran, who won the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and the Amundi Evian Championship on the LPGA Tour this season, has won a major tournament on the KLPGA Tour.
It is also the first KLPGA tour victory in 4 years and 5 months since winning the 2022 Nexen/Saint Nine Masters.
Kim Min-sol, tied for second place, added 142.5 million won and set a new record for the most prize money in a season on the KLPGA Tour with a cumulative prize money of 1.52997 billion won.
Kim Min-sol reclaimed the top spot in the season's prize money rankings, beating Seo Gyo-rim (total score of 7 over par, 295 strokes), who was tied for 20th place.
Yoo Hae-ran's three wins on the LPGA Tour and KLPGA Tour this season were all in major tournaments.
Yoo Hae-ran, who started the 4th round with a lead of 1 stroke, reduced the number of strokes with a precise putt on the green set at a green speed of 3.85m.
Yoo Hae-ran, who caught a birdie in the 4th hole (par 5) by hitting his third shot 2 meters into the hole, successfully putt from a distance of 7 meters in the 6th hole (par 4), saving another stroke.
In the 10th hole (par 5), he put a 3.8m birdie putt into the hole, widening the gap with the second place group to three strokes.
Yoo Hae-ran, who was cruising along, made a 3-putt in the 14th hole (par 4) and recorded the only bogey in the last round.
Seo Jin-jin caught a birdie at the 14th hole (par 4) and quickly narrowed the gap with Yu Hae-ran to 1 stroke, but encountered a reef at the 15th hole (par 4).
The tee shot went far to the left of the fairway and caught on a tree branch, so he was penalized 1 stroke and declared 'unplayable', and ended up losing 2 strokes and holed out.
Seo Jin-jin, who lost one more stroke at the 17th hole (par 4), finished the tournament in a tie for 5th place with a total of 290 strokes over par.
Yoo Hae-ran, who was shaken for a moment, hit a wedge on the 16th hole.
In this 180-yard par 3 hole, Yoo Hae-ran hit his tee shot 1m away from the hole and easily added a birdie.
Yoo Hae-ran, who entered the 18th hole (par 5) with a lead of 4 strokes, missed the tee shot into the fairway bunker, but blocked it with a par and completed the win.
Yoo Hae-ran said, "This tournament is difficult to attack because the greens are hard, but I think I had an advantage because I hit a ball with a high trajectory," and added, "I plan to participate in two more tournaments in Korea in the future, and I will play hard to show a good performance."
Yoo Hae-ran will also participate in the KLPGA Tour Iceberg Golf and Seoul Shinmun Open, which opens on the 16th, and the LPGA Tour BMW Ladies Championship, held in Haenam, Gwangju, Jeollanam-do, on the 22nd.
