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The 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship delivered another memorable finish at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota. However, the spotlight shifted from world No. 1 Nelly Korda to South Korea’s Haeran Ryu. Ryu captured her first major championship with an impressive 13-under-par total. She also completed one of the greatest comebacks in major history. Ryu started the week 10 shots behind after the opening round. Nevertheless, she fought back over the next three days and became the first player since Carol Mann in 1964 to overcome such a large first-round deficit and win a major.
Ryu stayed steady throughout Sunday’s final round while several contenders battled changing conditions and difficult greens. Her victory earned her the largest winner’s prize in women’s golf history. She collected $1.95 million from the tournament’s record-breaking $13 million purse. Ina Yoon finished alone in second place at 10-under. Dewi Weber of the Netherlands and Canada’s Brooke Henderson shared third at 10-under. Americans Auston Kim, Allisen Corpuz, and Alison Lee tied for fifth at 7-under.
Nelly Korda entered the final round tied for sixth place at 7-under and still had a realistic chance to complete a historic run. She hoped to become only the third woman to win the season’s first three majors. Babe Zaharias achieved that feat in 1950, while Inbee Park matched it in 2013. Instead, Korda struggled to build momentum on Hazeltine’s challenging greens.
Her day started with a disappointing bogey on the opening hole after another costly three-putt. Even so, she quickly answered with a birdie on the second hole. That response briefly settled her round. Unfortunately, additional mistakes soon followed. Bogeys on the fourth and fifth holes dropped her farther behind the leaders. Korda refused to quit and mounted another charge. Birdies on the seventh and eighth holes pulled her within two shots of the lead. She added another birdie on the 10th hole and appeared ready to make a serious run. However, another three-putt resulted in a bogey on the 12th hole. That mistake stalled her comeback and allowed the leaders to separate themselves
She birdied the 15th hole to reach 8-under during the round. Yet the difficult 16th hole once again caused problems. Korda recorded a double bogey there, just as she did during the opening round. That costly mistake ended any remaining hopes of catching Ryu. She finished the day with a 1-over-par round that included five birdies, four bogeys, and one double bogey. Her tournament total of 6-under placed her in a tie for eighth alongside A Lim Kim, Jeeno Thitikul, and Sei Young Kim. Although Korda missed another major title, she still produced another strong championship performance. A top-10 finish continues her remarkable consistency during the 2026 season. She also remained close to another important career milestone.
Korda entered the championship with 25 LPGA Hall of Fame points. A victory would have awarded the final two points needed for automatic induction. LPGA players earn one point for each tournament victory, one point for major season awards, one point for an Olympic gold medal, and two points for each major championship victory. Korda already owns an Olympic gold medal from the 2020 Tokyo Games and continues moving closer to golf’s highest honor.
Earlier in the week, Korda admitted she intentionally avoids tracking her Hall of Fame total. She prefers focusing on each tournament instead of long-term milestones. She acknowledged that joining the LPGA Hall of Fame would represent an incredible accomplishment alongside many of the greatest players in history. The championship also highlighted the growing investment in women’s golf. Tournament organizers offered a record $13 million purse, the largest ever awarded in women’s golf. Ryu earned $1.95 million for the victory, while runner-up
Ina Yoon received $1,169,107. Weber and Henderson each collected $752,090 after tying for third. Corpuz, Kim, and Lee each earned $440,589 with their tie for fifth. Korda received $275,234 for finishing in a tie for eighth. Several players produced memorable moments during the final round. Dewi Weber thrilled fans with an eagle on the seventh hole to briefly move atop the leaderboard. Brooke Henderson also held the outright lead before a bogey on the sixth hole dropped her into a tie. Lydia Ko recorded an eagle during her round but later gave away momentum with a bogey. Those swings opened the door for Ryu, who calmly finished the job.
Another inspiring story belonged to Nicole Felce. The LPGA major newcomer finished 68th at 11-over par and earned $26,878. While the result placed her near the bottom of the leaderboard, making the cut represented a tremendous achievement. She gained valuable experience competing through the weekend in one of the sport’s biggest events. Her performance showed that determination and hard work can turn lifelong dreams into reality. Many successful professionals started with weekends like this before enjoying bigger breakthroughs later in their careers.
Ultimately, Haeran Ryu owned championship Sunday. She delivered clutch shots, handled the pressure, and secured the first major title of her career. Meanwhile, Nelly Korda’s pursuit of history ended one tournament short. Even so, her top-10 finish reinforced why she remains the world’s top-ranked player. With more majors still ahead this season, Korda will have additional opportunities to chase history and eventually claim her place in the LPGA Hall of Fame.
Author Profile
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Bradley Walker serves as the Director of Operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.
Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.
In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.
He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a co-host on the P&W Sports Report and hosting The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
Latest entries
GolfJune 29, 2026Haeran Ryu Makes Major History as Nelly Korda’s Three-Peat Bid Falls Short
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GolfJune 27, 2026Yoon Takes Control as Korda Chases History, Felce Earns Weekend Spot
GolfJune 26, 2026Yoon Sets Record Pace While Korda Stays Within Reach at Hazeltine
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