8-Under in Dow Championship Final Round Four-Ball
Defeat Thompson and Khang in Two-Player Team Event
Fourth Win for Korean Players After Kim Arim, Kim Hyojoo, and Yoo Haeran
Im Jinhee and Lee Somi achieved their first career victory together.
On June 29 (local time), at the Midland Country Club (par 70, 6,287 yards) in Midland, Michigan, USA, they shot an 8-under-par 62 in the final fourth round of the LPGA Tour Dow Championship (total prize money: $3.3 million). They tied with Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang (both from the USA) at 20-under-par 260, and then secured victory with a birdie on the first playoff hole, the 18th (par 3). The winning prize was $805,381, with each player receiving $402,690.50 (approximately 550 million KRW). This marks the fourth win for Korean players this year, following victories by Kim Arim (Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions), Kim Hyojoo (Ford Championship), and Yoo Hae-ran (Black Desert Championship).
Im Jinhee (left) and Lee Somi are taking a selfie holding the trophy right after winning the Dow Championship. Midland (USA) = Photo by AFP
Both players are in their second year on the LPGA Tour and celebrated their first win. Im Jinhee had previously won six times on the KLPGA Tour, and Lee Somi had five victories before joining the US tour last year. Im Jinhee lifted the trophy after 39 tournaments, while Lee Somi did so after 41 tournaments. This is the first time Korean players have won a team event on the LPGA Tour.
This tournament is a two-player team competition. The first and third rounds are played in the foursomes format, where teammates alternate shots with a single ball. The second and fourth rounds use the four-ball format, where both players play their own ball and the better score counts for the team. Playoffs are again contested in the foursomes format. The official win comes with a two-year tour exemption, prize money, and CME Globe points. However, it does not count toward the world rankings, Player of the Year, or Rookie of the Year standings.
Im Jinhee and Lee Somi started the final round tied for second, one shot behind the leaders, and made eight birdies without a single bogey. Although Thompson and Khang surged with a 10-under-par round to tie for the lead, on the first playoff hole at the 18th, Lee Somi hit a precise tee shot and Im Jinhee sank a 2.5-meter birdie putt to clinch the win. Thompson and Khang hit their tee shot closer to the hole, but Khang's birdie putt missed, leaving them disappointed.
In a broadcast interview immediately after the win, Im Jinhee said, "It would have been difficult to win if I was alone," and added, "I will return to this tournament next year." Lee Somi also said, "We both had a tough rookie season last year, so this win makes me extremely happy and it's hard to believe," smiling as she spoke.
Lexi Thompson, who was aiming for her 12th tour victory and her first since the ShopRite Classic in June 2019, was left disappointed as her playoff record fell to 0-6. Manon De Roey (Belgium) and Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (France), along with Lindy Duncan (USA) and Miranda Wang (China), tied for third place at 18-under-par 262. Kim Seyoung, who teamed up with Korean-American player Auston Kim (USA), finished tied for sixth at 16-under-par 264. Jeon Jiyeon and Lee Mihyang tied for 10th at 15-under-par 265, while Park Sunghyun and Yoon Ina tied for 18th at 13-under-par 267.
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