Victory was on a silver platter for Kim Hyo-joo, but in the end, the South Korean had to settle for a hard-fought second place at the LPGA FM Championship in TPC Boston. Finishing just two strokes behind the triumphant Yin Ruoning, Kim delivered a 1-under 71 in the final round, closing with an overall score of 12-under 276. A nail-biting finish that could hardly have been more dramatic.
This was already Kim Hyo-joo's second runner-up finish in the 2026 LPGA season, having performed exceptionally well at the Dow Championship in June. Her tenth LPGA Tour win continues to elude her – a bitter taste for a player who was so close to claiming the title. The tournament in Norton, Massachusetts, by the way, boasted a hefty $4.4 million in prize money, so it wasn't just about fame and glory.
Drama on the Green
Kim Hyo-joo was in the thick of the title fight throughout Sunday. But then came hole 16, and with it, the turning point of the round: a fateful three-putt bogey put Yin Ruoning on the path to victory. While Kim faltered, Yin kept her composure and sealed the deal on the 18th hole. A moment that kept fans on the edge of their seats and provided plenty of talking points.
Yin Triumphs
Yin Ruoning claimed her first LPGA title of 2026 – and her sixth overall. With a 2-under 70 in the final round and an aggregate score of 14-under 274, she was simply unbeatable that day. Kim Sei-young, who was also high on the leaderboard after Saturday, finished the tournament with a 1-over 73 on Sunday, tying for fourth place at 10-under 278. In the season standings, Kim Hyo-joo remains in fifth place, while Yin climbed to sixth place with her victory.
