Choi Hyejin Gives Up Lead on Final Day... "So Close: Runner-Up by One Stroke"

Buick LPGA Shanghai: Another Near Miss at Maiden Win, Finishes Second

Home Favorite Yin Ruoning Claims Second Win of the Season, Seventh of Her Career

Yang Hee-young Finishes Third, Kim Alim Sixth, Joo Subin Eighth

Choi Hyejin narrowly missed her maiden victory.

On Sunday, Choi shot a one-under-par 71 with three birdies and two bogeys in the fourth round of the Buick LPGA Shanghai, an LPGA Tour event with a total purse of $3.2 million, at Sheshan Golf Club (par 72, 6,735 yards) in Shanghai, China. She finished the tournament in second place at 10-under-par 278, one stroke behind Yin Ruoning of China, who shot 11-under-par 277.

Choi had led the tournament through the first three rounds, giving her a chance to claim her first career victory wire to wire, but she could not hold off Yin's charge. It was her fifth runner-up finish since making her LPGA Tour debut in 2022.

Choi Hyejin finished runner-up at the Buick LPGA Shanghai. AFP-Yonhap News

Starting the day with a one-shot lead, Choi made her first birdie on a par-3 hole but faltered with consecutive bogeys on holes 7 and 8. She also left her birdie putt short on the par-4 ninth and settled for par, maintaining a narrow lead. The tournament was decided on the par-4 16th. Choi made par while Yin sank a birdie, dropping Choi to second place, one stroke behind.

With momentum on her side, Yin made consecutive birdies on the par-3 17th, extending her lead to two strokes over Choi, who made par. Choi birdied the par-5 18th to pull within one stroke, but Yin made par to close out the win. It was her second victory of the season and the seventh of her career, earning her $480,000 in prize money (about 640 million won).

Yang Hee-young finished third at 8-under-par 280. Rio Takeda of Japan placed fourth at 7-under-par 281, and Carlota Ciganda of Spain finished fifth at 6-under-par 282. Kim Alim and Alison Lee of the United States tied for sixth at 5-under-par 283, while Joo Subin and Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand tied for eighth at 3-under-par 285.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.