Sophomore Ryu Hae-ran falls just short of 2nd LPGA win

Undone by a late bogey, South Korean sophomore Ryu Hae-ran has just missed out on her second career LPGA Tour win. Ryu finished alone in second place at the Dana Open at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio, on Sunday (local time), after shooting a six-under 65 in the final round for a four-round total of 19-under 265. Chanettee Wannasaen of Thailand won the tournament by a stroke at 20-under, after carding a 67 in the final round. Ryu, the 2023 LPGA Rookie of the Year, started the final day three shots behind Wannasaen and found herself trailing by five strokes at the turn, having made just one birdie on the front nine while Wannasaen picked up three birdies over the same stretch. Ryu then caught fire and pulled into a tie at 18-under with a birdie on the 15th hole -- her fourth birdie on the back nine. Wannasaen stumbled with bogeys on the 10th and 13th holes. However, Ryu hit a speed bump with a bogey on the 16th, and Wannasaen regained her lead by making par on the same hole. The two players had matching birdies on the 17th and 18th holes, as Ryu settled for her best finish of the 2024 season. This was Ryu's sixth top-10 finish. Her previous best of the season had been a third-place showing at the JM Eagle LA Championship in April. Choi Hye-jin, who led after the opening round of 64, was the one other South Korean player in the top 10 as she finished tied for seventh at 10-under. Choi followed her opening round with the scores of 71-69-70. Amy Yang, the winner of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in June, remains the only South Korean champion on the LPGA Tour this year after 19 tournaments. Source: Yonhap News Agency