By: Max Bechtoldt
The inaugural FM Championship at TPC Boston had one of the most unique winning stories of the season, as Haeran Ryu won her second career tournament in dramatic fashion.
After an incredible second round 62 which gave Ryu a six-stroke lead entering the weekend, she struggled heavily in round three. Ryu shot a +6 78 to lose her lead, and enter the final round four strokes behind leader Jin Young Ko.
But the Ryu we saw on Sunday was much closer to her Friday form, and it started right off the bat. Ryu shot a -6 30 on the opening nine, including birdies on the first four holes. She had a lone bogey, on the par 3 16, but she was already -9 by that point.
After a lengthy rain delay, it was in doubt if her score would be holding up, as she was in the third to last group. In the end, Ko was the only player to match her score, forcing a dark and wet playoff.
Ko struggled in the playoff, hitting a poor approach shot, followed by a below average chip. Ryu secured a simple tap-in par to win.
Ryu was already No. 6 in the CME Standings, with eight previous top-10 finishes. It has been a season filled with adversity for the young Korean superstar, as she’s put herself in a lot of good positions to win, but has struggled to finish. This week, Ryu left victorious in dramatic fashion.
