Yun I-na finishes runner-up at Lotte Championship after costly tee shot on 17

Yun I-na came within striking distance of her first LPGA Tour victory at the Lotte Championship ($3 million purse) in Hawaii, but a tee shot into the water on the 17th hole in the final round left her with a runner-up finish.

Playing Monday at Hoakalei Country Club (par 72, 6,536 yards) in Ewa Beach, Oahu, Yun carded five birdies and one bogey for a 4-under-par 68. Her 72-hole total of 18-under-par 270 (66-67-69-68) left her three strokes behind winner Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand.

The result gave Yun her second runner-up finish of the season, following a second-place showing at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in June. "I learned a lot," she said.

Yun said she had wanted to play her best, as every player on tour does, but had decided to lower her own expectations. She said she approaches each week with a relaxed mindset and added that she has felt far better off the tee this season than she did last year.

"Monday was really fun," Yun said. "Jeeno played a great round, and my putting was really good on the front nine. I feel like I'm learning a lot about golf from watching her. She's not only a great player but a wonderful person. I sincerely congratulate her on the win."

The lead changed hands dramatically on the 16th and 17th holes. Yun had started the final round in sole second place, three strokes behind Thitikul, and worked her way back into contention with sharp iron play and a steady short game.

The turning point came at the 16th hole, where Thitikul's tee shot found the right penalty area. Her third shot after the penalty drop rolled into a bunker, and she made a damaging double bogey. Yun made a calm par to pull into a share of the lead, suddenly with a chance to win.

But the decisive moment came at the very next hole. Yun's tee shot on the 17th strayed off the fairway and into the water, drawing a one-stroke penalty. She reached the green with her third shot from the drop zone but two-putted for a painful bogey, letting her first tour victory slip away.

Thitikul, who might have been rattled by the double bogey on the previous hole, instead responded with a brilliant approach to within two meters of the pin on 17 and converted the birdie to stretch her lead back to two strokes. She then birdied the par-5 18th as well for back-to-back birdies, closing out a three-stroke victory. It was Thitikul's fourth win of the season, and she collected the winner's check of $450,000.

Yun, who dominated the KLPGA Tour in 2024 before joining the LPGA Tour, fell just short of her first win, but her performance — four consecutive rounds in the 60s at a wind-swept Hoakalei CC loaded with water hazards — signaled that a breakthrough victory is not far off.

"I've been putting in a lot of work on my putting since last year, and I'm happy that the effort paid off this week," Yun said. "I'm really proud of myself. My putting was good overall, I had plenty of birdie chances, and I was satisfied with how many of them I converted." She led the field in birdies for the tournament.

Among other South Korean players, Kim A-rim finished tied for seventh at 14-under 274, while veteran Lee Jeong-eun5 was tied for 10th at 13-under 275.

Lim Jin-hee and Choi Hye-jin both finished tied for 13th at 12-under 276, and Ahn Na-rin was tied for 21st at 10-under 278. Defending champion Hwang Yu-min finished tied for 54th at 5-under 283.