Yoon Ina, runner-up at LPGA Lotte Championship… First win lost due to mistake on tee shot

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Tae-yong = Yoon Ina missed the opportunity to win her first LPGA tour with a mistake on her tee shot. .

In the fourth round on the last day of the Lotte Championship (total prize money: $3 million) held at the Hoakalei Country Club (par 72) in Eva Beach, Oahu, Hawaii, USA, on the 5th (Korean time), she took second place after a close battle with world number two Gino Titikkun (Thailand).

Yoon Ina reduced 4 strokes in the 4th round and hit a total of 18 under par, 270 strokes, but was 3 strokes short of Titikkun (total of 21 under par, 267 strokes).

Ina Yoon, who debuted on the LPGA Tour in 2025, aimed to win in her 44th appearance, but finished second for the second time in the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, a major tournament this season.

Titikkun received 450,000 dollars (approximately 600 million won) in prize money for her 11th LPGA Tour win and 4th win this season.

The only players with four wins on the LPGA tour this season are Titikkun and Nellie Korda (USA), who did not play in the Hawaii tournament.

As Yoon Ina was placed in the same champion group as Titikkun, the match unfolded as a match play between the two players.

Yoon Ina, who started 3 strokes behind Titikikun, began a fierce pursuit by recording 5 birdies and 1 bogey in the first half.

Titikun, who made three birdies and no bogeys in the first half, was chased by two strokes.

A tight battle continued as Yoon Ina made a birdie on the 10th hole (par 4), putting pressure on Titti Kun by 1 stroke.

In the 14th hole (par 4), Yoon Ina made a bogey, and in the 15th hole (par 3), Yoon Ina and Titikkuun faced each other with a birdie, bringing the number of strokes difference to 2 strokes.

Yoon Ina took the opportunity to turn the tables when a tee shot missed in the 16th hole (par 4).

As the tee shot fell into a water hazard, Yoon Ina made a double bogey and made par, tying the score.

However, in the very next hole, the 17th hole (par 4), Yoon Ina made a mistake with her tee shot.

Yuna's tee shot bent to the right and fell into a water hazard.

Yoon Ina received a one-stroke penalty and took her third shot, but the ball fell next to the green.

Yoon Ina grabbed the putter outside the green and aimed straight for the hole, but the ball stopped right next to her and she made a bogey.

In this hole, Titikkun succeeded in a birdie putt from a distance of close to 10 meters, widening the gap with Yoon Ina to two strokes.

Titikkun also added a birdie in the 18th hole (par 5), beating Ina Yoon by 3 strokes and lifting the championship cup.

In an official interview after the tournament, Yoon Ina said, "I had good putts in the first 9 holes, and Titikkun played very well. I really congratulate Titikkun on his win."

Yoon Ina added, "I've been practicing putting a lot since last year, and I think I'm seeing the effects this year. I want to finish the rest of the tournament in a strong performance."

The winner, Titikkun, said, “Yoon Na’s game today was truly amazing,” and “We had a great match on the field, and everyone did their best.”

Kim A-lim, the winner of this tournament in 2024, competed for the championship by catching an eagle and two birdies until the 5th hole, but was unable to continue his upward trend after recording two consecutive bogeys.

Kim A-lim, who hit a total of 14 under par 274, tied for 7th place.

Jeong-eun Lee, born in 1988, finished the tournament in a tie for 10th place (total of 13 under par, 275 strokes), and Jin-hee Lim and Hyejin Choi finished in a tie for 13th place (12 under par, 276 strokes).