Haeran Ryu wins weather-delayed KPMG Women’s PGA, denying Nelly Korda a third straight major
South Korea’s Haeran Ryu shot a closing 70 at Hazeltine National to claim her first major title, finishing at 13 under par after a storm-battered Sunday that knocked the final round off schedule and off network television for long stretches.
Sunday storms upend the schedule
Morning thunderstorms at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, closed the practice facilities and forced a delay of more than three hours. The original first tee time of 8:24 a.m. ET came and went without a ball being struck, and more than an inch of rain fell before the first groups finally headed out shortly before noon local time. The 3.5-hour weather halt squeezed both the KPMG Women’s PGA and the PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship into the same afternoon television window, creating logistical headaches for players and broadcasters alike.
Ryu holds off a crowded leaderboard
Ryu, 25, started the day at 11 under with a one-stroke cushion over Canada’s Brooke Henderson. She carded a two-under 70 on a softened course, tapping in for par at the 18th as a group of South Korean players doused her with champagne. Her final total of 13 under gave her a two-shot victory over Ina Yoon, who had opened the tournament with a 63 and carried a five-shot lead into the weekend before windy conditions tripped her up on Saturday. Henderson and Dewi Weber tied for third at 10 under.
Korda’s historic bid falls short
Nelly Korda, already the winner of the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open this year, was four strokes back at the start of play and got within two of the lead during the final round. A late fade dropped her into a tie for eighth, ending her chance to become the third woman ever and the first since Inbee Park in 2013 to win the first three majors of a season. A victory would also have locked in her LPGA Hall of Fame spot and pushed her past Annika Sorenstam atop the career money list.
TV coverage caught between two events
The final round had been moved up to threesomes with the leaders teeing off at 10:25 a.m. ET in hopes of finishing before NBC’s 4 p.m. switch to the Travelers Championship. The weather delay wrecked that plan: the final group was only through seven holes when NBC handed coverage to Golf Channel and Peacock. Officials later returned the Women’s PGA to NBC once the Travelers entered its own weather delay. A year earlier the PGA Tour event drew an average of 3.52 million viewers on CBS, explaining the network’s decision even as it frustrated fans of the women’s game.
- Scheduled first tee time. Practice facilities closed by morning storms.
- Still no play; more than an inch of rain falls. Delay reached 3.5 hours.
- First groups finally tee off shortly before noon local time (central).
- Final group through seven holes. NBC shifts live coverage to Golf Channel.
Leona Maguire struggles to a 76
Ireland’s Leona Maguire, playing her final round from the 10th tee, carded a four-over 76 that dropped her to five over for the championship. A lone birdie at the 15th was undone by water at the 17th, a three-putt at the third, and wayward approaches at the fifth and eighth. Compatriots Stephanie Meadow and Lauren Walsh had already missed the cut.
