Haeran Ryu pulls away for a
wire-to-wire win at Black Desert Championship
[May 05, 2025]
IVINS, Utah (AP) — Haeran Ryu made an 8-foot eagle putt
during a flawless back nine that allowed her to pull away Sunday
with an 8-under 64, giving her a five-shot victory at the inaugural
Black Desert Championship in the LPGA Tour's return to Utah after a
61-year absence.
Ryu became the second player to go wire-to-wire on the LPGA Tour
this year, and it was her second time winning a new event. She won
the FM Championship at the TPC Boston last year.
She was coming off a rough finish at the Chevron Championship last
week, sharing the 54-hole lead at the first major of the year until
closing with a 76.
This one was closer than the five-shot margin indicated. Ryu was
clinging to a one-shot lead over Esther Henseleit of Germany going
to the back nine. She missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the 10th — her
third straight miss from short range for birdie.
But then she made a 15-foot birdie putt at the 11th, and her eagle
at the 13th put her ahead by four shots.
“Incredible day,” said Ryu, who now has won in each of the last
seven years dating to her first win as an 18-year-old on the Korea
LPGA.
Henseleit, who started three shots behind, went out in 31 to get
within one shot. She cooled on the back nine, not making another
birdie until the 18th hole for a 66. She tied for second with
Ruoning Yin (67), the final challenge to Ryu.
“Started out great on the front nine and then couldn’t quite keep up
on the back,” Henseleit said. “Haeran played amazing and she really
deserved to win it today.”
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Haeran Ryu, of South Korea, hits from the ninth tee during the final
round of the LPGA Black Desert Championship golf tournament Sunday,
May 4, 2025, in Ivins, Utah. (AP Photo/Candice Ward)
Yin, who got back into the mix with a 62 on
Saturday, was four shots behind at the turn. She ran off four
straight birdies starting at the 11th, all of them inside 8 feet.
The last one got her to within three shots of Ryu.
The South Korean responded with an approach into 3 feet on the 15th
for a birdie to restore her lead to four shots, and Yin fell back
with a double bogey from the bunker on the 16th.
“I play 70 good holes,” Yin said. “I made a triple on the first day
and then a double on 16 today. But overall, I think my game is
really solid.”
Yan Liu closed with a 65 to finish alone in fourth.
Stephanie Kyriacou of Australia finished with the shot of the day, a
fairway metal on the par-5 18th that rolled in for an albatross,
giving her a 67 to tie for sixth.
Ryu is the 10th winner in 10 tournaments on the LPGA Tour this
season.
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