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Im Jin-hee, Lee So-mi overcome early LPGA Tour setbacks with Dow Championship victory

Published: 30 Jun. 2025, 15:08

Im Jin-hee, left, and Lee So-mi smile at each other after winning the LPGA Tour’s Dow Championship on Sunday. [SUNG HO-JUN]

Korean golfers Im Jin-hee and Lee So-mi, both once burdened by doubts and setbacks, found redemption and triumph on the LPGA Tour on Sunday, proving that perseverance pays off.

Im, 27, and Lee, 26, who had struggled to win since making their joint debut on the LPGA Tour last year, clinched victory at the Dow Championship, a two-player team event held at Midland Country Club in Michigan on Sunday.

They shot an 8-under final round to tie at 20-under with the American duo of Lexi Thompson, 30, and Megan Khang, 28, then birdied the playoff hole — the par-3 18th — in the foursomes format to defeat the American pair, who made par.

The two named their team “BTI (Born to be Island)” as both were born on islands — Im in Jeju and Lee in Wando — and earned a shared prize of $805,382, taking home $402,691 each and securing their LPGA Tour cards through the 2026 season.

Although the tournament is a team event, the LPGA recognizes it as an official victory. With their win, Korean golfers now have four LPGA Tour victories this season, alongside Kim A-lim, Kim Hyo-joo and Ryu Hae-ran.

Born in 1998 and 1999 respectively, Im and Lee both rose through the ranks of the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour. Im, who debuted in 2018 without much initial success, earned recognition by winning four times in 2023 alone.

Starting golf relatively late in the fifth grade, Im never made the national team’s elite roster, but she steadily grew through sheer effort. Nicknamed “tough cookie,” she was the first to arrive at the practice range to refine her swing and the last to leave the putting green to improve her short game.

Im Jin-hee, left, and Lee So-mi lift the LPGA Tour’s Dow Championship trophy together on Sunday. [LPGA]

Lee, in contrast, was a member of the national team in 2017 and stood out early. She claimed her first KLPGA win in 2020 and added two more each in 2021 and 2022. Known for her intense practice regimen and unshakable focus in clutch moments, Lee earned a reputation as a fierce competitor.

The two, similar yet different, secured full LPGA Tour cards after tying for 17th and second, respectively, at the LPGA Q-Series in December 2023, confirming their overseas debut.

But life on the LPGA Tour hasn’t come easy. Neither of them managed a win last season, and they continued to go winless through more than 10 events this year. Both saw their main sponsorships end during this time. Im signed a new deal with Shinhan Financial Group this April, while Lee still plays without a sponsor, wearing a plain cap.

For the duo, this event was a golden opportunity. The Dow Championship, played in teams of two, can yield high synergy with strong teamwork. Having started together on the KLPGA Tour and shared experiences at the Q-Series and overseas events, their chemistry was naturally superior to other teams.

Trailing by one stroke behind the 13-under third-round leaders, Sarah Schmelzel, 31, of the United States, and Albane Valenzuela, 28, of Switzerland, Im and Lee played a flawless final round in the four-ball format, carding five birdies on the front nine. They added two more on the back nine to catch up to the Thompson-Khang team at 20-under. On the par-4 17th, Lee’s birdie brought them into a tie for the lead.

Im Jin-hee, left, and Lee So-mi pose for a photo in Midland, Michigan, on June 29. [SUNG HO-JUN]

Thompson initially gained the upper hand in the playoff with a tee shot that landed two meters from the pin. But Lee responded by placing her shot within four meters, and Im sank the birdie putt. Khang, meanwhile, missed a short putt, sealing the win for the Korean duo.

“When I joined as a rookie last year, I felt a lot of pressure because our seniors were so talented,” said Im. “But now that we’ve lifted this trophy, I feel confident. I want to win even more going forward,” she said with a smile.

“I honestly wondered if I came all this way for nothing,” Lee said. “I lost my sponsor and kept falling short in competition. I thought about going back to Korea, but I’m still challenging myself, believing that someday I’ll make it.”

“Watching our seniors inspired us to dream,” said Lee. “There’s talk that Korean players are declining in performance, but we’re doing our absolute best. Korean women’s golf is far from over. As long as we don’t give up, we’ll rise again.

“I hope the time comes soon when we can prove how strong Korean golfers truly are.”

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