Image Credit: LPGA/Getty Images
EWA BEACH, Hawaii — The wind at Hoakalei Country Club doesn’t just blow — it bends entire leaderboards. On Sunday, under a sky that shifted from calm blue to tropical chaos, 22-year-old Youmin Hwang stood on the 13th tee three shots back of the lead. Six holes later, she was a champion.
Her closing stretch — five birdies in her final six holes — was as breathtaking as the ocean backdrop that framed it. In one of the most thrilling finishes in the LOTTE Championship’s short but dramatic history, Hwang posted a final-round 67 to win at 17-under par, edging Hyo Joo Kim by a single shot.
A Calm Start, Then the Storm
For much of the front nine, the story belonged to Kim and Japan’s Minami Katsu. Kim, the 2022 LOTTE champion, rolled in birdies at 2, 5, and 7 to pull even with the overnight leaders. Katsu matched her pace with laser-like approaches, her rhythm undisturbed by gusts that sent others scrambling.
Hwang, meanwhile, played patient golf — pars at the first six holes, a birdie at the short par-4 seventh, then another at nine to turn in 2-under 34. Still, she looked more steady than spectacular.
That changed on the back nine.
The Spark at 13
The turning point came at the par-4 13th, a deceptively short hole framed by water and wind. After a precise hybrid off the tee, Hwang hit a wedge that never left the flag, spinning to four feet. She buried the putt — her body language transforming from tentative to confident.
“I think that’s when I started to believe,” she said afterward. “I told myself, just one shot at a time — but maybe I can win this.”
The Roar at 15 and 16
Her momentum carried to 15, a long par-4 playing straight into the teeth of the wind. From 150 yards, she flighted an 8-iron that pierced the breeze and landed softly 12 feet below the hole. Another birdie.
Then came the par-3 16th, the hole that decided everything. Most of the field bailed right to avoid the water, leaving themselves long putts. Hwang, aggressive as ever, took dead aim. Her 6-iron never wavered, finishing just six feet from the cup. The crowd gasped, then erupted when she rolled in the putt to reach 16-under.
“I wanted to trust the shot,” she said. “If I play scared, I can’t win.”
The Dagger on 18
By the time Hwang reached 18, a par-5 framed by palm trees and pressure, she knew a birdie could win it. Her drive found the fairway. Rather than go for the green, she laid up — a veteran decision from a player barely old enough to rent a car in the U.S.
Her wedge approach checked perfectly to eight feet. The crowd around the green fell silent. She took one look, one breath, and stroked it pure.
Birdie.
Seventeen under.
Champion.
Her caddie, Joong Geun Park, raised both arms as Hwang covered her face, tears mixing with laughter.
“I just tried to focus on my play,” she said afterward, still processing the moment. “Maybe that’s why it happened.”
Hyo Joo Kim’s Near Miss
Kim’s final-round 68 was brilliant — seven birdies, three bogeys — but one pulled approach at 16 and a missed eight-footer at 17 kept her from forcing a playoff. Still, her shot on 15, a 5-iron to two feet, drew one of the loudest cheers of the afternoon.
“I fought hard,” Kim said, smiling. “I love this tournament. The wind, the people — it’s always a challenge here.”
Katsu Holds Her Ground, Korda’s Wait Continues
Minami Katsu birdied three of her first five holes to flirt with the lead, but a missed up-and-down on 17 ended her run. She closed with 69, solo third at −15.
Nelly Korda, meanwhile, produced a clean card of 68 to finish T-4 at −14, continuing a season defined by consistency but short on hardware.
“It’s a little frustrating,” Korda said. “I feel close. You learn to love being in the hunt even when it doesn’t go your way. Hopefully next week I’m one shot better.”
Local Pride and a Last Walk
For Honolulu’s own Allisen Corpuz, the final round was a homecoming to remember — steady golf, smiling galleries, and a 71 to finish inside the top 10. “It means a lot to see family out here,” she said. “You feel their energy on every hole.”
And then there was Stacy Lewis, wrapping up her full-time LPGA career with a walk up 18 that felt like a farewell parade. She tipped her visor to fans and hugged her daughter on the green. “I’ll miss the competition,” she said. “But I’m leaving the game in great hands.”
The Final Chapter at Hoakalei
When the dust settled, Youmin Hwang — a non-member competing on a sponsor exemption — stood as the LPGA’s newest star. Her victory made her the 12th first-time winner of 2025 and the 26th different champion in just 25 tournaments, tying a Tour record.
She became the second straight Korean to win the LOTTE Championship, following A Lim Kim’s victory in 2024, and instantly earned the right to accept immediate LPGA membership.
“It’s like a dream,” Hwang said, trophy in hand, the Hawaiian breeze tugging at her ponytail. “I just wanted to play my best — and now, I’m here.”
The gallery roared again. The sun dipped lower. And for a brief moment, as palm fronds swayed and the Pacific shimmered beyond the fairways, you could almost feel the game’s future taking shape.
Final Leaderboard – 2025 LOTTE Championship
| Pos | Player | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Youmin Hwang | −17 |
| 2 | Hyo Joo Kim | −16 |
| 3 | Minami Katsu | −15 |
| T4 | Nelly Korda | −14 |
| T4 | A Lim Kim | −14 |
| 6 | Brooke Matthews | −13 |
| 7 | Akie Iwai | −12 |
| 8 | Allisen Corpuz | −11 |
| 9 | Pornanong Phatlum | −10 |
| 10 | Stacy Lewis | −8 |
After the Wind, the Calm
The LOTTE Championship has a way of revealing something deeper — not just who can hit it straight in a gale, but who can find serenity amid the storm.
This week, that serenity belonged to Youmin Hwang, who found her rhythm when the winds were loudest. Her victory wasn’t just earned; it was crafted — one fearless swing, one perfect putt at a time.
In the end, Hawaii gave us another memory: a champion who believed, a contender who chased, and a leaderboard full of heart.
And as the trade winds carried the final cheers down the fairways of Hoakalei, golf found yet another new star.
