After a sizable lead since the first round, In Gee Chun had to rally on the final holes to edge Lexi Thompson, and Minjee Lee, by one stroke June 26 to win the third major of the year, at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland.
Chun shot rounds of 64–69–75–75 for a total of 283, 5–under.
“So I want to tell truth,” said Chun following the victory. “I couldn’t control all the pressure. This is why I had four bogeys [on the front nine]. At the same time, you know, this course is never easy. Congressional Country Club is a hard golf course, and we had tough pin positions. Sometimes my golf is not perfect. Today, it just happened to be [not perfect] on the front nine.”
The outwardly calm, steady-smiling, even-tempered appearance of the three-time major champion, Chun, was tested in obtaining her first LPGA victory since October 2018 at the Hana Bank Championship played in her native South Korea.
“When I got in a slump, some people said, ‘In Gee, you should retire because your game is not good right now.’ But no matter what they said, I believed that I could win again. I’m so proud now.”
Chun played flawless golf in the opening rounds to lead by five, and six strokes following the two opening rounds. The lead increased to seven in the latter stages of the third round but finished with a three-stroke lead after her biggest trouble of the tournament with a double-bogey on the par-five No. 16.
Having never competed at Congressional, Chun came for a practice round a month ago for course knowledge in preparation for the inaugural LPGA event.
She would make adjustments to her bag, adding a go-to 7-wood, and 9-wood, that she played to perfection early for the large lead.
“I’m happy because my sponsors, they always believed in me,” added Chun. “I know it’s never easy, so I really appreciate all my sponsors. Then my family and my coach, my managers, my friends, they never gave up on me no matter how I did, so I really wanted to win the last couple of years.”
Chun was perfect in 14 fairways hit in the first round, and followed with 12 fairways hit in the final three rounds, averaging 236 yards. She hit a total of 56 of 72 greens in regulation and was 1-for-3 in sand saves.
When asked about her course-record low opening round of 64, “I’m so happy,” replied Chun.
In response to her third-round lead dissipating late, she said, “I have to put that aside and remember that I still have a lead and be happy with that.”
Chun also admitted to cooking for her neighbors, Minjee and Sei Young Kim, stating “I’m working on seasoning steak now.”
The 27-year-old Chun was born in Gunsan, S. Korea, and in 2015, became the first player in history to win majors on three different tours in the same calendar year.
On the KLPGA (Korean) Tour, she won majors at the Hite Jinro Championship and the KB Financial Star Championship.
Chun also won two majors, the World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup and the Japan Women’s Open Golf Championship, on the JLPGA of Japan—and also won the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open on the LPGA.
Chun would also win her second LPGA major at the 2016 Evian Championship, joining fellow Korean Se Ri Park as the only two players in LPGA his history to win majors in their first two competitions.
Chun stated that her sister recently recommended that she stop playing the LPGA, and that it’s “hard to stay in the U.S.” [without family]; but through tears, she responded that her “spirit” would not quit.
During the final round, Chun said she “thought, ‘In Gee, if you never give up, then you can get something. Just don’t crack under pressure. Just keep doing what you’re doing. See the big picture. Keep going to catch your goal.’”
Chun gave up her three-stroke lead and was two strokes behind Thompson at the turn. However, Thompson bogeyed four holes struggling with putting woes along with two birdies, on the back nine to relinquish her lead back to Chun on the 17th hole.
“Golf is never easy,“ said Chun who catapulted to eight in the Race to CME Globe Season rankings. ”Still, I can’t believe I won. That’s why I feel really emotionally now.”
Chun made par on the final hole for the victory, also holding off recent U.S. Open major winner, Lee, who came from six strokes off the lead to tie Thompson for second.
Australian Lee has overtaken American Nelly Korda, who finished T30th, as the Rolex World #2, while Thompson remains at World #6.
Alone at fourth, is rookie Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand, who finished at –3, 285 total, and will likely win rookie of the year honors as she currently surpassed Lydia Ko as Rolex World #4.
Five players tied for fifth, including Nasa Hataoka, Hyo Too Kim, Hannah Green, Hey-Jin Choi, and Sei Young Kim.
Fountain Valley, SoCal native, Lilia Vu, tied for 10th along with fellow Americans Jessica Korda, and Jennifer Chang, as well as Sun-Hee Ji, Stephanie Kyriacou, and Stephanie Meadow.
The LPGA moves to the Twin Bridges Championship on Friday, July 8th at Pinehaven Country Club, in Guilderland, N.Y.
