Haeran Ryu loses four-shot BMW Ladies lead but claims her 11th LPGA top-10 of 2026

Haeran Ryu left the BMW Ladies Championship one stroke short of victory but with another reminder of her remarkable consistency in 2026. On Sunday, 25 October, the South Korean golfer signed for a one-over-par 73 at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam, finishing tied for second on 16-under 272. Japan's Yuri Yoshida won at 17-under 271. For Ryu, it was her 11th top-10 finish in just 16 LPGA Tour starts this season.

Four ahead with 18 to play. Ryu had built a commanding position through rounds of 67, 64 and 68. At 17-under after 54 holes, she held a four-shot advantage over the chasing group. Her Friday 64, featuring two eagles, was the standout performance that helped establish the lead. Yet the final round illustrated how quickly a comfortable cushion can disappear in elite tournament golf.

Fifteen pars, then a dramatic finish. For three quarters of Sunday's round, Ryu made par after par — 15 in succession — and remained at 17-under. Her first dropped shot came with a bogey at the par-four 16th. She recovered immediately, birdieing the par-five 17th to return to 17-under. But a second bogey at the par-four 18th left her one short of the winning total. Her final card contained 15 pars, one birdie and two bogeys.

A challenger who took her opportunity. Yoshida had begun the day four shots behind the Korean leader. She converted her closing-round charge into her first LPGA Tour title, finishing at 17-under. Fellow South Korean Hye-Jin Choi joined Ryu in a tie for second at 16-under. The scoreboard therefore told two stories at once: a breakthrough for the Japanese winner and a narrow miss for two home-country contenders.

Why Ryu's season still stands out. According to the LPGA, the 25-year-old has made 15 cuts in 16 starts this year. Her 2026 victories include both the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and The Amundi Evian Championship — two major titles that have taken her career LPGA victory total to five. She leads the Tour in strokes gained on approach at 1.50 per round and greens in regulation at 79.04%. One painful finishing hole does not erase the sustained level of play behind those numbers.

The event was played from 22–25 October at the par-72 Pine Beach Golf Links in the Republic of Korea. Official source and tournament statistics: LPGA — https://www.lpga.com/news/2026/haeran-ryu-ties-for-second-at-bmw-ladies-championship-for-11th-top-10-of-2026.

Illustrative archive image: a putting scene photographed by Woodypino, Wikimedia Commons / Pixabay, CC0 1.0. The photograph does not show Haeran Ryu or the BMW Ladies Championship.