'Team Lotte' Kim Hyo-joo and Choi Hye-jin finish as runners-up at the LPGA Dow Championship... Two strokes behind Wilson and Jin Kim

*This content was translated by AI.

World No. 3 Kim Hyo-joo (31) and No. 17 Choi Hye-joo (27, both of Lotte) secured the runner-up position at the LPGA Tour 'Team Event' Dow Championship (total purse $3.3 million).

Kim Hyo-joo and Choi Hye-jin played a fourball match (where each player plays their own ball and the better score counts) during the final fourth round of the tournament held at Midland Country Club (par 70) in Midland, Michigan, USA, on the 15th (Korean time), delivering a bogey-free performance to record five birdies and a 5-under-par 65.

Finishing with a total of 15-under-par 265, Kim Hyo-joo and Choi Hye-jin finished in second place, two strokes behind Yanah Wilson and Jin Kim (both from the U.S., 17-under-par 263).

Kim Hyo-joo and Choi Hye-jin led the tournament through the third round, raising expectations that Kim could claim her third victory of the season and Choi could secure her first LPGA Tour title since her debut in 2022.

Choi Hye-jin and Kim Hyo-joo started in sole possession of the lead, one stroke ahead of Wilson and Jin Kim, but could not maintain their momentum.

They started on a high note with a birdie by Choi Hye-jin on the 2nd hole (par 4), and continued to birdie consecutively on the 7th hole (par 3) and the 8th hole (par 4) without losing strokes.

However, Jin Kim gained momentum with a birdie on the 3rd hole (par 5) and both she and Wilson recorded eagles on the 5th hole (par 4). They continued their relentless charge with consecutive birdies on the 7th hole as well.

Although Kim Hyo-joo birdied the 12th hole (par 4) and further reduced her score on the 18th hole (par 3), Wilson birdied the 10th hole (par 4), Jin Kim birdied the 12th hole (par 4), and Wilson birdied again on the 14th hole (par 4), moving into sole possession of the lead. On the 15th hole (par 4), Wilson took a bogey, and on the 16th hole (par 4), Jin Kim took a bogey, but they both recorded pars to offset each other. On the 17th hole (par 4), Jin Kim birdied again, securing a two-stroke victory.

The LPGA stated, "For Kim Hyo-joo, the runner-up finish is merely a small record that briefly passed by amidst her dazzling performance in the 2026 season," and regarding Choi Hye-jin, "Although she is still aiming for her first LPGA Tour title, she has been consistently posting good results. She has reached the top 10 three times in 10 cuts this season and recorded flawless scorecards, signaling that her first victory is imminent."

Jin Kim, a second-generation Korean-American with Korean parents, claimed her first LPGA Tour title. Wilson achieved the same. Although it was a team event, the win also counts toward individual records, making it particularly meaningful. The team victory prize was $805,381 (approximately 1.217 billion won).

The performances of Korean players stood out. 'Defending champions' Im Jin-hee (28) and Lee So-mi (27) finished in a tie for third place with a total of 14-under-par 266, while Kim A-rim (31) and Yoon In-a (23) finished in a tie for seventh place with a total of 11-under-par 269.

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*This content was translated by AI.