Youmin Hwang Crowned Champion at the LOTTE Championship
HONOLULU – Youmin Hwang claimed victory at the LOTTE Championship, securing her first win in an LPGA Tour event. The South Korean golfer staged an impressive comeback in the final rounds, extending the streak of no repeat winners in the season to 25 tournaments. Hwang, a KLPGA member and a sponsor’s invitee, made birdies on the last four holes and on five of the last six at the windy Hoakalei Country Club. Her performance culminated in a round of 67 strokes, five under par, securing the victory by one stroke over Hyo Joo Kim.With this victory, Hwang, 22, and not a member of the LPGA Tour, has the option of accepting immediate membership or postponing it until next season. This triumph represents her sixth LPGA appearance and the fourth of the season, after making the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open, the KPMG Women’s PGA, and the Evian Championship. Hwang, tied for the lead with Kim and Minami Katsu after a birdie on the 17th hole, benefited from bogeys by Katsu and Kim on the subsequent hole. On the 18th hole, Hwang, after a second shot that went past the green, managed a chip that left the ball a foot from the hole. Hwang finished the tournament with a total of 17 under par, 271 strokes. Her performance included an impressive round of 62 strokes on Thursday, setting a personal record and taking a three-stroke lead, although a 75 on Friday relegated her to second place, one stroke behind Akie Iwai. Kim, for his part, achieved a birdie on the 18th hole, closing with a round of 68 strokes. Minami Katsu finished in third place with 15 under par, after a round of 69 strokes. Nelly Korda, ranked number two in the world, finished with a round of 69 strokes, finishing three strokes behind the leader, with a total of 17 under par, along with Peiyun Chien (70), Jessica Porvasnik (70) and Iwai (71). Korda, after a season with seven victories, has yet to win this year.Thanks to LOTTE’s support, I can be here and win.
Youmin Hwang
The LPGA Tour now moves to Asia, where tournaments will be held for five consecutive weeks in Shanghai, South Korea, Malaysia, and Japan.Overall, I’m putting myself in contention. It’s definitely an interesting year for me in terms of results, but at the end of the day, I’m giving 100 percent, controlling what I can control, and I’m happy with that.
Nelly Korda
