IVINS, Utah — Haeran Ryu made an 8-foot eagle putt during a flawless back nine that allowed her to pull away Sunday with an 8-under 64, giving her a five-shot victory at the inaugural Black Desert Championship in the LPGA Tour’s return to Utah after a 61-year absence.
Ryu became the second player to go wire-to-wire on the LPGA Tour this year, and it was her second time winning a new event. She won the FM Championship at the TPC Boston last year.
She was coming off a rough finish at the Chevron Championship last week, sharing the 54-hole lead at the first major of the year before closing with a 76.
This one was closer than the five-shot margin indicated. Ryu was clinging to a one-shot lead over Esther Henseleit of Germany going to the back nine. She missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the 10th — her third straight miss from short range for birdie.
But then she made a 15-foot birdie putt at the 11th, and her eagle at the 13th put her ahead by four shots.
A wire-to-wire win for Haeran Ryu 💪🏆 pic.twitter.com/bIgKeOZj4n
— LPGA (@LPGA) May 4, 2025
“Incredible day,” said Ryu, who now has won in each of the past seven years dating to her first win as an 18-year-old on the Korea LPGA.
Henseleit, who started three shots behind, went out in 31 to get within one shot. She cooled on the…
