Youmin Hwang Conquers the LOTTE Championship and Achieves Her First LPGA Tour Title
South Korean golfer Youmin Hwang clinched victory at the LOTTE Championship on Saturday, marking her first win in an LPGA Tour event. This exciting win breaks a streak of 25 tournaments without a repeat winner this season. Hwang, who participated in the tournament thanks to a sponsor’s invitation, demonstrated his skill by achieving birdies in the last four holes and in five of the last six at the challenging Hoakalei Country Club, finishing with a round of 67 strokes, five under par. This performance secured him a one-stroke victory over Hyo Joo Kim.At 22 years old, and as a non-LPGA Tour member, Hwang has the option of accepting immediate membership or postponing it until next season. This triumph represents her sixth appearance in an LPGA tournament and the fourth of the season, after making the cut in major events such as the U.S. Women’s Open, the KPMG Women’s PGA, and the Evian Championship. After a birdie on the 17th hole, Hwang was tied at the top with Kim and Minami Katsu. However, a bogey from both Katsu and Kim on the following hole gave Hwang a crucial advantage. On the 18th hole, Hwang, after a shot that took her to the rough, managed a chip that left the ball a foot from the hole. Hwang finished the tournament with a cumulative score of 17 under par, totaling 271 strokes. Previously, he had set a personal record with a round of 62 strokes on Thursday, which gave him a three-stroke lead. Although he had a round of 75 strokes on Friday, this did not prevent his overall performance. Kim, for his part, concluded with a birdie on the 18th hole, securing a round of 68 strokes. Minami Katsu finished in third place with 15 under par, after a round of 69. Nelly Korda, ranked second, closed with a round of 69, finishing three strokes behind the leader, with a total of 17 under par. Alongside her, Peiyun Chien (70), Jessica Porvasnik (70) and Akie Iwai (71) also stood out. Korda, who had a successful season with seven victories, has yet to win this year. Despite this, she remains optimistic.Thanks to LOTTE’s support, I was able to 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
