Ryu Hae-ran takes third career LPGA title with dominating win at Black Desert Championship

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Ryu Hae-ran takes third career LPGA title with dominating win at Black Desert Championship

Published: 05 May. 2025, 16:18 Updated: 05 May. 2025, 18:54

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Korean golfer Ryu Hae-ran poses with the trophy after the final round of the Black Desert Championship 2025 at Black Desert Resort in St George, Utah, on May 4. [AFP/YONHAP]

Korean golfer Ryu Hae-ran claimed a dominant wire-to-wire victory at the inaugural LPGA Black Desert Championship, securing her third career LPGA title and rebounding from a recent major setback with renewed focus and confidence.

“I called my Korean coach every day after the last major tournament,” said Ryu after the championship. “I believed in his advice to focus only on myself, and that’s how I was able to win.”

Ryu didn’t repeat the same mistake from her previous championship, the Chevron Championship. When the opportunity came, this time she made sure it ended in victory. Ryu led from the first round through the fourth without ever surrendering the lead.

Since joining the LPGA Tour in 2023, Ryu has consistently outperformed her competition, firmly establishing herself as a pillar of Korean women’s golf.

On Monday, Ryu shot an 8-under 64 in the final round at Black Desert Golf Course (par 72, 6,629 yards) in Ivins, Utah. She recorded one eagle and six birdies to finish at 26-under 262 overall, defeating Esther Henseleit of Germany and Yin Ruoning of China by five strokes.

Ryu becomes the first-ever champion of this tournament. The win is her third career LPGA victory and her first since the FM Global Championship last September, ending an eight-month title drought.

Korean golfer Ryu Hae-ran speaks after the final round of the Black Desert Championship 2025 at Black Desert Resort in St George, Utah, on May 4. [AFP/YONHAP]

Ryu earned $450,000 in prize money. With her victory, Korean players now have three wins this season, following Kim A-lim’s win at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in February and Kim Hyo-joo’s triumph at the Ford Championship in March.

Born in 2001 and a former national team player in middle and high school, Ryu made a splashy debut by winning Rookie of the Year on the KLPGA Tour in 2020. She went on to collect five wins and moved to the LPGA Tour in 2023, where she claimed victory at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship and again took home the Rookie of the Year title.

She added another win last year and now one more this year, making her one of the most consistently successful Korean players in recent seasons.

Starting the final round with a two-stroke lead, Ryu steadily extended her advantage by carding three birdies on the front nine. Then came the decisive blow on the par-5 13th, where she hit the green in two with an aggressive strategy and sank a 2-meter putt for eagle.

Korean golfer Ryu Hae-ran putts on the 18th green during the final round of the Black Desert Championship 2025 at Black Desert Resort in St George, Utah, on May 4. [AFP/YONHAP]

Ryu followed that with a birdie on the par-3 15th to open a four-shot lead over the chasers, and celebrated her victory with a final birdie on the par-5 18th.

Ryu posted a remarkable 91 percent fairway accuracy rate and an 87.5 percent greens-in-regulation rate for the tournament. She also achieved a rare feat by making an eagle in three consecutive rounds from the second to the fourth.

This win also helped her overcome the disappointment of her previous tournament, the Chevron Championship. Ryu had been tied for the lead through three rounds, but faltered on the final day, losing four strokes and finishing in a tie for sixth. The emotional setback was significant, but she bounced back in the very next event to erase that painful memory.

Korean golfer Ryu Hae-ran reacts to a putt on the 15th hole at the LPGA Black Desert Championship golf tournament in Ivins, Utah, on May 4. [AP/YONHAP]

“After the Chevron Championship, I felt like my swing was off, so I called my coach in Korea every day,” Ryu said. “He told me, ‘There’s nothing wrong with your swing — just believe in yourself.’ I trusted those words and played just like I normally do, and that’s how I won.”

“Until now, my personal best score was 23-under par, but today I broke that record,” Ryu said with a bright smile. “It’s an unbelievable day.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KO BONG-JUN [[email protected]]