Seo Gyo-rim claims first KLPGA title at Celltrion Queens Masters

Last year's Rookie of the Year, Seo Gyo-rim, lifted her first KLPGA Tour trophy Sunday.

Seo carded five birdies and one bogey for a 4-under-par 68 in the final round of the 2026 Celltrion Queens Masters — purse 1.5 billion won (about $981,000) — at Seongmunan Country Club (par 72) in Wonju, Gangwon Province. Her total of 15-under-par 201 edged out 2003-born Kim Min-seon, who finished at 14-under 202, by one stroke to give Seo her maiden victory.

The win vaulted her from a tie for 11th to sole leader in the Player of the Year points standings. She also pocketed 270 million won in prize money, jumping from 10th to first on the season money list with 535,745,714 won.

Seo joined the KLPGA in August 2024 and earned Rookie of the Year honors last year after recording two runner-up finishes across 30 tour events. She kept up her strong form this year with a second-place finish at The Siena Open in April and a share of third at the E1 Charity Open last month. Having reached the top three four times since her debut without a win, she finally broke through.

Seo had shared the lead with Kim Su-ji and Kim Min-seon after firing an 8-under second round, and she came out firing Sunday. Precise iron play produced back-to-back birdies on the par-4 first and second holes, and she added a third at the par-4 seventh after placing her approach 2.5 meters from the cup. A third shot that stopped 0.3 meters from the hole on the par-5 ninth gave her four birdies on the front nine alone.

Park Hye-jun, who had been one shot off the pace in a tie for fourth through 36 holes, mounted a fierce charge while Seo briefly stalled on the back nine. Park pulled to within one stroke with a birdie on the par-4 17th. Seo responded immediately, draining a decisive birdie on the par-5 16th to restore a two-shot cushion.

With a potential playoff still in mind, Seo took a calm sip of water before two-putting for par on the par-5 18th to seal the victory outright. She threw both arms in the air, bit her lip and broke into tears — then began bleeding from the nose.

After the round, Seo brushed off the nosebleed, saying she gets them often. "My first goal this year was to win for the first time, and now I want to go after the most wins title," she said. "In two or three years, I'd like to make it to the LPGA Tour."

Park Hye-jun finished third at 13-under 203, Kim Su-ji was fourth at 12-under 204, and Kim Na-hyeon and Ko Ji-woo shared fifth at 11-under 205.

Park Min-ji, who won this event four consecutive times from 2021 through 2024 and claimed her 20th career victory at the SH Suhyup Bank MBN Women's Open — the tournament immediately preceding this one — finished in a tie for 25th at 5-under 211.