Haeran Ryu Wins 2026 KPMG Women's PGA Championship

Nelly Korda’s bid for a third straight major victory and a run at history was dampened by more than a set of passing thunderstorms on Sunday at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. A balky putter and what some might call Nelly’s B- or C-game held her back throughout the weekend, never allowing the world No. 1 to mount that final charge we were expecting. While most LPGA players would be happy with a top 10 and some fresh Wikipedia yellow, a frustrated Nelly was ready to get to work and prepare for the next “major” in two weeks at the Amundi Evian Championship.

“That was definitely — you guys made that such a big thing. I didn't think about that, no,” Nelly said of missing out on her third consecutive major win. “I was just kind of disappointed in the way that I played this week, not that I came up short really. I was just thinking about the way that I played, not like the realistic big picture that everyone is talking about.”

After a three-and-a-half-hour weather delay on Sunday — which derailed the opportunity to finish in the allotted NBC broadcast window — the contenders took to the course for a ho-hum opening nine holes before the sweet-swinging Haeran Ryu broke out with birdies on Nos. 9 and 10 to secure the lead. The 25-year-old South Korean added to the cushion with another birdie on No. 12, setting herself up to play surgical, steady golf and earn her first major victory by two shots over Ina Yoon.

After a 1-over 73 in the first round, Ryu switched putters before Friday’s second round. That bold move wound up being the catalyst to overcome a 10-shot deficit after round one (a major record, by the way) and finish in the top 20 in Strokes Gained: Putting for the championship, an area of her game that has always held the prolific ball-striker back. Given her nearly flawless execution over the weekend, it may also surprise you to learn that Ryu has also been recovering from a mysterious minor back surgery.

It’s crazy that Haeran somehow still flies under the radar despite being ranked 12th in the world. She’s quietly racked up six top 10s in majors and has now won every season since joining the LPGA in 2023. Her smooth tempo and near-perfect golf swing are mesmerizing to watch. On weeks when she combines her tour-leading ball-striking with decent putting — as she did at Hazeltine — the rest of the LPGA should be on notice.