South Korea's Ryu Hae-ran bounced back from a shocking third round to beat compatriot Ko Jin-young in a playoff to win the LPGA's FM Championship at TPC Boston on Sunday.
Ryu had shot a superb 10-under-par 62 on Friday but followed it with a six-over 78 that threatened to undo all her good work, leaving her four shots off overnight leader and 15-time LPGA winner Ko.
And just like that, Haeran Ryu is a 2x LPGA Tour Winner 🏆🏆
— LPGA (@LPGA) September 2, 2024
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But she showed no signs of that round affecting her focus as she went out and promptly birdied the first four holes on Sunday, reaching the turn at six-under on her way to a round of 64.
Ryu's lone bogey on the par-three 16th dropped her back into a tie with Ko at 15-under and an anxious wait to see if her compatriot could make a birdie over her final two holes.
Hearan Ryu brought that Sunday best 🙌 pic.twitter.com/eoS6eyYrm1
— LPGA (@LPGA) September 2, 2024
Ko began the day with a two-shot lead and she built on that with an eagle at the par-five second and another at the par-four fourth.
But after a bogey on the 10th she only managed one further birdie at the 14th.
After a two-hour rain delay, she missed a nine-foot putt in wet conditions on the final green that would have given her victory.
The pair went back down the par-five 18th, but Ko missed from 30 feet for par and Ryu tucked in a 12-foot birdie putt to secure her second victory on the LPGA Tour.
The winning moment 🎥 pic.twitter.com/HABM46lle7
— LPGA (@LPGA) September 2, 2024
"The second win was so hard for me because this year I got many chances before, but I missed out a couple of times," said Ryu.
"But today, I don't want to miss again. I was so nervous at the playoff, but maybe Ko Jin-young was the same," she added.
China's Liu Ruixin finished a shot behind on 14-under after an eight-under 64 that began in remarkable fashion with birdies at each of her first seven holes.
It was a second straight round of 64 for Liu – her lowest round in her career.
American Allisen Corpuz and Thailand's Atthaya Thitikul finished a further shot back on 13-under after both carding 67s.