South Korean pair Somi Lee and Jin Hee Im clinched a play-off victory, defeating American duo Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang after the first extra hole to earn their first LPGA Tour titles at the Dow Championship.
Coming onto the final par-3 18th hole at Midland Country Club, semi-retired Thompson sunk an 8-foot birdie, whilst Khang made a birdie to match. They closed on 10-under 60 in the fourballs format, with a shared total of 10 birdies to finish with 20-under 260.
Lee tied her team with the lead after a clean 10-foot birdie putt at the 17th pushed them ahead. The pair could have won by regulation at the 18th, but both missed their respective birdies and a play-off ensued. Thompson’s tee shot brought her 5-feet from the cup, setting up a birdie for playing partner Khang. But when Khang missed, Lee dug in her heels for a birdie finish Im had set up from 8-feet, and victory was theirs.
“I can’t believe it,” Lee said after their win.
Victory had come so close yet so far for 30-year-old Thompson, still in search of her first LPGA title in six years. Yet despite the let down, she believes the sole LPGA team event always comes with positives.
“It’s incredible,” Thompson said. “Golf being such an individual sport, we don’t get the opportunity to play a (regular team event) every single year. It’s a good, fun event for us, a bit more laid back. How the community gets behind this event and really supports women’s golf, that’s what we enjoy most and why we always come back to this tournament.
“We have fun, but at the same time, we enjoy the atmosphere and enjoy the fans.”
“(Thompson) had been hitting so good on 18,” Khang went on to add. “Again, we hit such great shots in regulation. I don’t think it would have been too big of a deal. We stuck with the game plan that we decided at the beginning of the week, and Lexi hit a great shot in.”
A win would have been Khang’s first since 2023 at the CPKC Women’s Open, but new best results have been logged for both American players. China’s Miranda Wang and America’s Lindy Duncan were just two shots off joining the play-off at 18-under 262, after shooting the round of the day and week with an 11-under 59. Their third place finish was shared with playing partners Manon De Roey and Pauline Roussin-Bouchard.
What is the next event?
The next event on the LPGA Tour schedule is the Amundi Evian Championship taking place between 10-13 July in Evian-les-Bains, France.