In a day full of emotions, Haeran Ryu won the Black Desert Championship, marking the return of the LPGA Tour to Utah after 61 years.
Ryu, with an impeccable performance, completed the final round with an impressive 64 strokes, eight under par. His game on the second half of the course was especially outstanding, culminating in an eagle from eight feet that solidified his triumph.
This victory represents Ryu’s second title in a new circuit event, adding to his success in last year’s FM Championship.
After a complicated start at the Chevron Championship, Ryu demonstrated her resilience and determination to secure the victory.
Although the final difference was five strokes, the competition was intense. Ryu led by only one stroke at the start of the second half of the course.
A 15-foot birdie on the 11th hole and an eagle on the 13th extended his lead to four strokes, leading him towards victory.
“Incredible day,” commented Ryu, who has achieved victories in each of the last seven years, since his first triumph at 18 years old in the Korea LPGA.
Haeran Ryu
Esther Henseleit, from Germany, and Ruoning Yin shared second place, following an outstanding performance.
Henseleit, who started the day three strokes behind the leader, managed to get closer, but couldn’t maintain the pace in the second half of the round.
“I started off really well in the first half and then I couldn’t keep up the pace in the second. Haeran played incredibly and really deserved to win today,” said Henseleit.
Esther Henseleit
Yin, after a standout performance on Saturday, stayed in contention until the end, but a double bogey on the 16th hole prevented him from getting closer to Ryu.
Yan Liu finished solo in fourth position.
Stephanie Kyriacou of Australia starred in the shot of the day, an albatross on the 18th hole, which allowed her to tie for sixth place.
With this victory, Ryu becomes the tenth different winner in ten LPGA Tour tournaments in the current season.
