Yoo Hae-ran’s Near Victory: What Went Wrong at the 2026 LPGA Kroger Queen City Championship?

HaeRan Yu mounted a furious charge at the LPGA Tour’s Kroger Queen City Championship but came up short at the final hurdle, settling for second place.

In the final round in Cincinnati, Ohio, Yu made five birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey to finish 3-under for the day. Her 72-hole total of 10-under 270 left her two strokes behind winner Lottie Ward, and she finished alone in second.

Since debuting on the LPGA Tour in 2023, Yu has three career wins. She didn’t get her first victory of this season, but the runner-up finish was her best result of the year.

She began the day nearly perfectly. Yu started the final round tied for third, four shots back of Ward, and ripped off five birdies on the front nine to surge into contention.

Ward also piled up birdies but stumbled with a double bogey on the 6th, which pulled the two into a tie for the lead.

The turning point came at the 13th on the back nine. Yu’s tee shot found the rough, she needed three shots to reach the green, and then three-putted for a double bogey. The swing opened a gap and shifted the momentum.

Yu answered with a birdie at 14, but Ward put the match away with a long birdie putt on 17.

Yu missed a birdie chance at the 18th and closed the tournament disappointed.

Ward finished at 12-under 268 for her second LPGA Tour victory. The winner’s check was 450,000,000 KRW (approximately 337,500 USD).

After the round, Yu said, “I was pleased with my front-nine play, but I’m disappointed with my mistakes on the back nine. I want to rest in Korea for a while and watch baseball.”

Jin Young Ko recorded five birdies and no bogeys to finish tied for fifth. In-a Yoon tied for 12th, while Woonjung Choi, Hye Jin Choi and Inji Jeon tied for 21st.

World No. 2 Gino Titikkun finished seventh, and world No. 1 Nelly Korda tied for eighth.

Photo = AP / Yonhap News