Youmin Hwang was all smiles after securing her first LPGA Tour win on Saturday. Most recently she emerged victorious at the LOTTE Championship, played at the stunning Hoakalei Country Club. The once-in-a-lifetime talented golfer achieved this milestone during only her sixth career start on the tour. This specific achievement is quite a proud moment on her professional path. Hwang put on an exceptional show that included a spectacular, jaw-dropping finale. She went on to birdie the last four holes, securing a dramatic and razor-thin one-shot victory against her erstwhile college rival, Hyo Joo Kim.
The tournament played out in dramatic fashion. Hwang hit the final round knowing he would need to make an impressive comeback after having a difficult second round. She had shown all the potential to shine earlier in the week, posting an astounding career-best 62 on Thursday. This storming performance left her with a four-shot lead. A 75 on Friday left her in a tie for second, just behind Akie Iwai. When the third and final round opened, Hwang snapped back to recapture the victory on her heralded heels. She did all that while deftly handling the weight of a pressure-packed, close leaderboard.
As the winds began to swirl at Hoakalei Country Club, Hwang proved to have the competitive fortitude and craftsmanship just enough. That’s when she birdied the 17th, a par-4 hole, to surge back into the fold. Today, she is all the way up tied for the lead with Hyo Joo Kim and Minami Katsu. The tide had turned pleasantly for Hwang when both Kim and Katsu bogeyed the par-4 18th behind her. This unexpected series of events gave her the opportunity to take control as she made her way to the 18th tee.
On the par-5 18th, Hwang faced a daunting test. Her second shot went careening into the rough past the green. With just enough topspin to avoid the mud, she cut a precise chip shot right back into play. It dropped within a foot of the hole, leaving her an easy birdie putt. With a final round score of 5-under 67, she finished the tournament at an eye-popping 17-under 271.
Hwang has her first tick up on the LPGA Tour. This victory continues the season-opening streak without a repeat winner to an incredible 25 events! The Korean golfer is a full-time member of the KLPGA and earned a sponsor’s exemption to play in this week’s event. She’s made a big splash at all the other big tournaments this season, finishing in the top-10 in the U.S. Women’s Open, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and Evian Championship.
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