Yuri Yoshida wins BMW Ladies Championship as Ryu Hae-ran, Choi Hye-jin tie for second

Two Korean players tied for second place at the LPGA Tour event on home soil Sunday, with one surrendering a four-stroke lead and the other coming up short after a late push.

Yuri Yoshida of Japan won the BMW Ladies Championship with a four-round total of 17-under 271 at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam, about 330 kilometers (205 miles) south of Seoul. Yoshida carded a four-under 68 in Sunday's final round at the par-72 course.

Yoshida held off Ryu Hae-ran and Choi Hye-jin by one stroke for her first career LPGA Tour victory.

Ryu started the final round holding a four-stroke lead at 17-under but shot a 73 Sunday after a bogey-birdie-bogey finish.

Choi, going for her maiden LPGA title in her 125th career start, had a chance to force a playoff, but her birdie putt on the 18th hole lipped out for a par and a round of 69.

Yoshida, playing in a group ahead of Ryu, put early pressure on the Korean with an eagle at the par-5 second, which moved her to 15-under, two behind Ryu.

Yoshida then made three consecutive birdies starting at the par-4 fifth, the last of which gave her sole possession of the lead at 18-under.

Ryu, meanwhile, kept making pars, unable to gain ground even as Yoshida cooled off on the back nine.

Yoshida blinked first with a bogey at the par-3 15th, which dropped her into a tie with Ryu at 17-under.

Choi was also making a back-nine charge, as birdies at the 11th and 13th took her to 16-under, one behind the co-leaders.

Ryu then fell into a tie with Choi after a bogey at the 16th, only her second bogey of the tournament.

Yoshida pulled away from the two Koreans with a birdie at the par-5 17th and took a two-stroke lead into the final hole.

However, the Japanese player gave both Koreans an opening with a three-putt bogey on the 18th and finished at 17-under.

Neither Ryu nor Choi took advantage.

Ryu pulled her tee shot at the 18th and sent her second shot into a greenside bunker. Her bunker shot left her with a lengthy par attempt to force a playoff, but Ryu, who had struggled with her putter all week, left it short.

Choi found the fairway with her tee shot and gave herself a decent look at a birdie. But her putt to force a playoff with Yoshida rolled out of the cup.

Ryu, the world No. 3, was the top-ranked player in the field this week. She won back-to-back major titles this summer at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and the Amundi Evian Championship, and was seeking her first LPGA title on home soil.

Choi has been on the LPGA Tour since 2022, following a successful run on the KLPGA Tour, where she collected 11 victories.

Before this week, Choi had earned about $7.5 million on the LPGA Tour, more than any other player without a victory in LPGA history.

Yonhap