LPGA Rookie Yuna Lim Aims for First Win of the Year in Korea
by Roh Woolae
Published 23 Sep.2025 09:00(KST)
Updated 25 Sep.2025 07:21(KST)
Competing in the HiteJinro Championship, a Major Tournament
Seeking a Turnaround on the KLPGA Tour After Struggles in the U.S.
Special Ties with Main Sponsor, Tied for Third at This Event Last Year
Yuna Lim, a rookie on the LPGA Tour, is aiming for a turnaround at a domestic major tournament.
Starting on September 25, the final major event of the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, the HiteJinro Championship, will be held for four days at Blue Heron Golf Club (par 72, 6,779 yards) in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, with a total prize fund of 1.5 billion won. This marks her second appearance at a domestic tournament this year, following her participation as the defending champion at the 12th Jeju Samdasoo Masters last month.
After claiming three crowns on the KLPGA Tour last year-prize money leader, Player of the Year, and lowest scoring average-Yuna Lim joined the LPGA Tour, but her results have so far fallen short of expectations. She has played in 20 tournaments without a single top-10 finish, missed the cut eight times, and her best result is a tie for 14th at the major U.S. Women's Open. At last week's Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, which was shortened to one round due to severe weather, she finished in a tie for 129th, continuing her slump. She is in need of a momentum shift.
Before moving to the United States, Yuna Lim was sponsored by Hite, giving her a special connection to this tournament as she chases her first win of the year. Last year, she was in contention for the title at this event, starting tied for second in the first round, ranking third in the second round, second in the third round, and finishing tied for third after the fourth round. This year's tournament is a chance for redemption after narrowly missing out on victory last year. In last month's Jeju Samdasoo Masters, Yuna Lim finished tied for third.
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