Latest news with #LPGADowChampionship
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
South Korea's Lee carves out narrow halfway lead at Evian
Lee So-mi holds a slender lead going into the weekend at the Evian Championship in France (Alex MARTIN) South Korea's Lee So-mi surged into a one-stroke lead through two rounds of the Evian Championship after shooting a six-under-par 65 on Friday. The 26-year-old carded six birdies and an eagle in the lowest round of the day to go top of the leaderboard on 10-under. Advertisement She is just above Australia's Grace Kim, one of five players who were in a five-way tie at the summit overnight. Lee has only once finished in the top 10 at a major, sharing eighth place at last month's Women's PGA Championship. "Tee shots are really important on this course, but mine weren't great today," admitted Lee. "But I managed to make up for it with some solid putting." Lee is coming off a victory alongside compatriot Im Jin-hee in the LPGA Dow Championship pairs event in Michigan. "I'm trying to put the last tournament behind me and focus on the present," she said. Advertisement "Right now, I'm concentrating on my putter and driver, keeping my rhythm – and we'll see where that takes me." Kim signed for a steady 68 featuring four birdies and a bogey, with American Jennifer Kupcho, a former runner-up in the Evian, one shot further back after going round in 69. "I knew how punishing this course can be, so I just focused on hitting fairways and greens. I kept things simple, and it paid off today," said Kim. Three players sit in a tie for fourth place, with South Africa's Casandra Alexander, South Korea's Choi Hye-jin and and American Andrea Lee all on seven-under for the tournament. Advertisement Australian Gabriela Ruffels and Ireland's Leona Maguire, among the leading pack on Thursday, both dropped back after signing for even-par 71s. World number one Nelly Korda is five strokes off the pace following a one-under 70 in round two. The American is targeting a third major title and first since last year's Chevron. Korda started poorly with two bogeys and then a double bogey on the 16th hole before finding some form on the front nine, where she made three birdies to claw back into contention. mw/nr
The 42
30-06-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Maguire and Kupcho fail to fire as Im and Lee win LPGA team event
SOUTH KOREANS IM Jin-hee and Lee So-mi birdied the first playoff hole to beat Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang in the LPGA Dow Championship pairs event in Michigan on Sunday. Lee rolled in the winning birdie putt, she and Im both able to celebrate a first LPGA title after Khang was unable to get the US duo's birdie putt to drop. Khang and Thompson — an 11-time LPGA winner who is playing a limited schedule this year — climbed to the top of the leaderboard at Midland Golf Club with a 10-under-par 60, combining for 10 birdies in a best-ball format to build a four-round total of 20-under 260. Thompson's seven-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole gave the Americans a one-shot clubhouse lead. But Lee drilled a birdie putt at the 17th that pulled the South Koreans level and after a birdie attempt by Im at 18 burned the edge they signed for an eight-under 62 and headed back to 18 for the playoff, which reverted to the alternate-shot format in which the first and third rounds were played. Advertisement Thompson's tee shot gave the Americans the best look at birdie, but Im drilled her putt to put the pressure on Khang who missed from short range. American Lindy Duncan and China's Miranda Wang combined for 11 birdies in an 11-under 59 to climb 13 places into a tie for third on 18-under 262. They were joined by Belgium's Manon De Roey and France's Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, who had seven birdies and a bogey in their 64. Overnight leaders Sarah Schmelzel and Albane Valenzuela endured a frustrating day. They had four birdies in the first 11 holes but couldn't find another, their four-under 66 leaving them alone in fifth on 263. Leona Maguire and Jennifer Kupcho, who held the 36-hole lead, couldn't sustain a Sunday challenge as they carded a two-under par 68 to finish seven shots back. – © AFP 2025
Hindustan Times
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
South Korea's Im and Lee win LPGA pairs event in playoff
South Koreans Im Jin-hee and Lee So-mi birdied the first playoff hole to beat Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang in the LPGA Dow Championship pairs event in Michigan on Sunday. HT Image Lee rolled in the winning birdie putt, she and Im both able to celebrate a first LPGA title after Khang was unable to get the US duo's birdie putt to drop. "We made it together," Im said. "If I had to do it alone I couldn't make it. "I think we're the best team ever," she added. "Hopefully we're coming back next year." Khang and Thompson an 11-time LPGA winner who is playing a limited schedule this year climbed to the top of the leaderboard at Midland Golf Club with a 10-under-par 60, combining for 10 birdies in a best-ball format to build a four-round total of 20-under 260. Thompson's seven-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole gave the Americans a one-shot clubhouse lead. But Lee drilled a birdie putt at the 17th that pulled the South Koreans level and after a birdie attempt by Im at 18 burned the edge they signed for an eight-under 62 and headed back to 18 for the playoff, which reverted to the alternate-shot format in which the first and third rounds were played. Thompson's tee shot gave the Americans the best look at birdie, but Im drilled her putt to put the pressure on Khang who missed from short range. "I think on the first tee we pretty much said as long as we give ourselves two chances each hole we will see where it takes us," Khang said. "Thankfully made some putts here and there bummer to miss the last one in the playoff to force another hole, but very happy how we played." American Lindy Duncan and China's Miranda Wang combined for 11 birdies in an 11-under 59 to climb 13 places into a tie for third on 18-under 262. They were joined by Belgium's Manon De Roey and France's Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, who had seven birdies and a bogey in their 64. Overnight leaders Sarah Schmelzel and Albane Valenzuela endured a frustrating day. They had four birdies in the first 11 holes but couldn't find another, their four-under 66 leaving them alone in fifth on 263. bb/rcw This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
The 42
29-06-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Maguire and Kupcho rally with birdie-birdie finish to sit two back at team event
LEONA MAGUIRE AND Jennifer Kupcho salvaged a tough day with a birdie-birdie finish at the LPGA Dow Championship team event, signing for a two-over par 72 that leaves them two shots off the lead heading into Sunday's final round. Maguire and Kupcho sit on 11-under, chasing leaders Sarah Schmelzel of America and Albane Valenzuela of Switzerland who shot 68 on Saturday to move to 13-under. Manon De Roey and Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, and Im Jin-ee and Lee So-mi are tied for second place on 12-under, while Maguire and Kupcho are in a three-way tie for fourth. Sunday's final round will be the fourball format, where Maguire and Kupcho combined to shoot a sensational 10-under par on Friday to take the 36-hole lead. They struggled to carry that form into Saturday's alternate shot foursomes, but when their first birdie of the day came at the 17th hole, they quickly followed it up with another on 18 to keep their challenge alive. Advertisement 'I think they were huge,' Maguire said afterwards. 'I think it gives us a chance going into tomorrow. 'Just really got nothing going today, but tried to stay patient tried to keep giving ourself chances; eventually did on the last holes. Jen holed two great putts.' Kupcho added: 'I feel like we took it how was it and kept fighting.' The American is in familiar territory heading into the final round, having won the title with Lizette Salas in 2022 and teamed with Ally Ewing to finish runners-up last year. 'Just try and go low and try and post a number early and see what happens,' Maguire said when asked about Sunday's strategy, where they'll tee off at 5.24pm Irish. 'I think it was nice to see two putts go in at the end.' – © AFP 2025
The 42
26-06-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Leona Maguire and Jennifer Kupcho tied for second in Michigan
LEONA MAGUIRE and Jennifer Kupcho are tied for second after the first round of the LPGA Dow Championship pairs event in Midland, Michigan on Thursday. The Cavan native and her American teammate finished with an opening round 67, leaving the duo three under par. Maguire and Kupcho made up for a bogey on the second hole, with birdies on the third, eighth, 12th and 16th. They are one of six teams that are tied for second. Advertisement Among the teams on 67, the Japanese duo of Saki Baba and Yuri Yoshida had reached five-under with five birdies in their first 14 holes but dropped back with two late bogeys. In addition to Maguire and Kupcho, they were tied with China's Liu Yan and Zhang Yahui, England's Jodi Ewart Shadff and Taiwan's Heather Lin, South Koreans Im Jin-hee and Lee So-mi, Americans Megan Khang and Lexi Thompson. Gemma Dryburgh and Cassie Porter combined for five birdies in a four-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead. Scotland's Dryburgh and Australian rookie Porter teed off on 10 at Midland Country Club and grabbed four birdies in their first nine holes. They answered their lone bogey of the day at the second with a birdie at the par-five third to finish the day one stroke clear atop a crowded leaderboard. The pair had picked up their first birdie of the day at the 12th, and their three birdies in a row at 14, 15 and 16 included a chip-in for Porter. 'We just rolled really well together,' Porter said, Dryburgh adding that their games complemented each other well in the alternate-shot format used for the first and third rounds, with best-ball rounds to come on Friday and Sunday. 'Tomorrow is about birdies and today was kind of more steady,' Dryburgh said. 'Obviously we made a few birdies today, but we can make even more tomorrow.' Defending champions Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand and Yin Ruoning of China shook off an early bogey and nabbed three birdies in a two-under 68 that left them in a seven-way tie for eighth. 'We did not wake up yet, it's too early,' Jeeno said. You can view the full leaderboard here.
