Former No. 1 Ryu So-yeon retires as three Korean golfers make major top 10

Three Korean golfers notched top-10 finishes at the Chevron Championship, the first LPGA major of the year, as former world No. 1 Ryu So-yeon took her final bow.

Ryu So-yeon plays her shot from the ninth tee during the first round of The Chevron Championship on April 18 at The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas. [AP/YONHAP]

Three Korean golfers notched top-10 finishes at the Chevron Championship, the first LPGA major of the year, as world No. 1 Nelly Korda of the United States won her fifth straight start and former world No. 1 Ryu So-yeon took her final bow.

A total of 132 players teed off in the first round on Thursday at The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas, and 73 made the cut for a shot to win the biggest prize of the $7.9 million tournament.

Korea’s Ryu Hae-ran, the 2023 Rookie of the Year, carded a nine-under-par, 279, to finish in fifth as the highest-ranked Korean golfer of the weekend. The 23-year-old had a mixed first round, picking up six bogeys, four birdies and an eagle, but went bogey-free on Friday and Saturday to reach the top of the board with a one-stroke lead heading into the final round.

Korea's Ryu Hae-ran putts on the seventh green during the final round of The Chevron Championship at The Club at Carlton Woods on Sunday in The Woodlands, Texas. [AFP/YONHAP]

Im Jin-hee, one of three Korean rookies who competed at the Chevron over the weekend, finished in eighth place, carding a six-under-par, 282, for her first top-10 finish on the LPGA Tour.

Kim A-lim, the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open champion, finished in a three-way tie for ninth with a five-under-par, 283, alongside the United States’ Yealimi Noh and Japan’s Minami Katsu.

There were 20 Korean golfers in action at the Chevron, including previous champions Ko Jin-young and Ryu So-yeon, both of whom failed to make the cut.

Korea's Ryu So-yeon walks up the 18th green during the second round of the Chevron Championship on April 19 at The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas. [AP/YONHAP]

For Ryu So-yeon, the second round on Friday was her last on the LPGA Tour. The 33-year-old earlier announced she would retire after this year’s Chevron, ending a 12-year LPGA career with six victories — including two majors.

“Nobody pushed me to retire. This was my decision, but still, I just cannot believe this is real,” she said during a press conference after the Friday round. “I was still mad with the bad shot out there, and then I felt like I needed to [grind] to be a better golfer at the time, but this is it. This is a time I need to give myself enough credit, and then this a time I need to be proud of myself.”

Ryu So-yeon holds the trophy after winning the LPGA Tour's ANA Inspiration at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California on April 2, 2017. [AP/YONHAP]

Ryu So-yeon, front center, leaps into the pond, followed by her caddie, Tom Watson, left, and family members after Ryu won the ANA Inspiration on a playoff hole at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California on April 2, 2017. [AP/YONHAP]

Korea's Ryu So-yeon holds up the championship trophy after winning the U.S. Women's Open at the Broadmoor Golf Club on July 11, 2011 in Colorado Springs, Colo. [AP/YONHAP]

The 2017 champion shot a five-over-par, 77, on Thursday and a two-over-par, 74, on Friday, before exiting the green for the final time.

Fellow Korean golfers, including 2019 champion Ko, were there to offer Ryu their congratulations in Korean.

Korea's Ryu So-yeon embraces fellow players after her final round of the Chevron Championship on April 19 at The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas. [AP/YONHAP]

“I’m just very numb,” said Ryu, choking up in an interview with Golf Channel Friday. “I really appreciate all the things I was able to [have].”

This year, those who did not make the cut still received a $10,000 stipend, up from $5,000 last year, to help cover tournament-related costs, the LPGA and title sponsor Chevron announced last week.

Korda’s $1.2 million win, tying the record for most consecutive LPGA wins, came despite a storm-interrupted third round, leaving more than a round and a half to play on Sunday.

A Korean golfer has yet to win a title this season.

The LPGA next heads to Los Angeles for the JM Eagle LA Championship, which tees off Thursday.

BY MARY YANG [mary.yang@joongang.co.kr]