Youmin Hwang birdied the final four holes and five of the last six to complete a late smash and grab and secure victory at the LOTTE Championship at Hoakalei Country Club in Hawaii.
Playing on a sponsors invite, the Korean native who plays on the Korean LPGA Tour, now becomes the 26th different winner – Jin Hee Im and Somi Lee won the Dow Championship which operates as a paired format – in 25 LPGA Tour events in 2025.
“This is my dream,” Hwang said through a translator. “Finally, I achieved my dream here at the LOTTE Championship, and I also very much look forward to my future as well in the LPGA.”
As a non-member of the LPGA Tour, the 22-year-old Hwang has the option to accept immediate membership or defer to next season. The two-time KLPGA winner won in her sixth career LPGA start and fourth of the season — after making the weekend cuts in the major U.S. Women’s Open, KPMG Women’s PGA and Evian Championship.
“I would like to express my deepest gratitude for LOTTE for inviting me,” Hwang said. “I think it’s all the more meaningful that I can play and also win the tournament sponsored by LOTTE, my sponsor as well.”
Tied for the lead with Hyo Joo Kim and Minami Katsu after her birdie on the par-4 17th, Hwang got a break when Katsu and Kim each bogeyed the hole in the group behind. On the par-5 18th, Hwang hit her second shot through the green into rough and chipped to a foot.
Hwang finished at 17-under and shot a career-best 62 on Thursday to open a three-stroke lead, then had a 75 on Friday to drop into a tie for second — a shot behind Akie Iwai.
Kim birdied the 18th for a 68 and sole possession of second place, while Katsu’s 69 left her in solo third place at -15.
Nelly Korda, the world number two, closed with a 69 for finish three back at 14-under with Peiyun Chien (70), Jessica Porvasnik (70) and Iwai (71). Coming off a seven-victory season, Korda is not one of the 26 players to have won this season, but she admits that it’s not for the lack of trying.
“Overall, I’m putting myself into contention.” Korda said. “It’s definitely an interesting year for me result-wise, but at the end of the day I’m giving it 100%, controlling what I can control and I’m happy with that.”
Stephanie Meadow closed with a two-over 74, making three bogeys and just one birdie to close out a week that had held much promise as she found herself just outside the top 10 on day one and just outside the top 20 on day two having found herself on the tougher side of the draw as strong winds gave the early-late wave an advantage over the first two days.
She eventually settled for a share of 59th, but can take the positives from making her first LPGA cut of the year having returned from a long layoff in August.
The LPGA Tour now heads to Asia for tournaments five straight weeks in Shanghai, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan, and while Meadow won’t feature in next week’s Buick LPGA Shanghai, Leona Maguire will make the trip to the far east and hope to put her Hawaiian disappointment behind her and become the 27th different LPGA winner of the season.
Leave a comment