Korean men's and women's golf reached a significant milestone by winning titles on the same day at the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour events. The victors, Yoo Hae-ran and Kim Joo-hyung, made headlines with their achievements.
Yoo Hae-ran secured the championship trophy at the Amundi Evian Championship, the fourth major of the LPGA Tour season, held at the Evian Resort Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, France, on July 12. After finishing the final round with a total score of 19-under-par 265, she tied with Brooke Henderson of Canada and clinched victory with a birdie on the first playoff hole, the par-5 18th.
This win marks a significant moment in golf history for Yoo. Just 13 days prior, she triumphed at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, tying the record for the shortest interval between major victories held by Meg Mallon. She also became the fourth Korean player to win two majors in a single season, following Se-ri Pak (1998), Inbee Park (2013, 2015), and Jin-young Ko (2019).
Notably, Yoo is the first Korean player to win consecutive LPGA Tour majors since Inbee Park swept three majors in 2013. She is also the fourth Korean to win this particular event, joining the ranks of Hyo-joo Kim (2014), Jin-young Ko (2016), and Jin-young Ko (2019), and has now achieved a total of five tour victories.
Shortly after Yoo's victory, Kim Joo-hyung added to the celebration by winning the Genesis Scottish Open, part of the PGA Tour, held at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland. He showcased remarkable focus, recording six birdies without a single bogey, finishing with a total score of 17-under-par 263. He outpaced Australian Min Woo Lee, who finished at 15-under-par 265, by two strokes.
This victory ended a 33-month winless streak for Kim, who last won at the Shriners Children’s Open in October 2023. At just 24 years old, he became the fourth non-American player to achieve four PGA Tour victories before turning 25, joining the ranks of Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, and Hideki Matsuyama.
Since debuting on the PGA Tour in 2022, Kim had faced a challenging period, missing the cut in nine of the 26 tournaments he entered last year and only finishing in the top 10 once. However, a third-place finish at the U.S. Open in June helped him regain his form, culminating in this latest victory.
This historic achievement marks the second time that Korean male and female golfers have won on the same day at the PGA and LPGA Tours, following the victories of Im Sung-jae at the Shriners Children’s Open and Ko Jin-young at the Cognizant Founders Cup on October 10, 2021.
While there have been instances of Korean players winning on both tours in the same week, previous victories were separated by a day due to weather delays or time zone differences. Golf Channel highlighted this achievement on social media, stating, "Korean golf is on fire. Kim Joo-hyung and Yoo Hae-ran made history with their victories this weekend, marking the second time for Korean players."
Yoo, having won back-to-back majors, will take a short break before preparing for the AIG Women’s Open, which begins on July 30 in the UK. Meanwhile, Kim aims to carry his momentum into the final major of the season, the British Open, starting on July 17.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.