Founders Cup: Yealimi Noh holds off Nelly Korda, Jin Young Ko and more to pick up maiden LPGA Tour win

Yealimi Noh secured the first LPGA Tour title of her career in stunning fashion, outpacing world No. 1 Nelly Korda and two-time champion Jin Young Ko to capture the Founders Cup. The 22-year-old American delivered a composed final round, finishing with a remarkable 21-under-par to seal a four-shot victory.

A Steady Final Round to Seal the Win
Noh entered the final round with a one-stroke advantage over Ko after an electrifying Saturday performance, where she rolled in eight birdies over her final 11 holes. Sunday’s round, however, was about maintaining control. She carded a solid three-under 68, avoiding any bogeys while picking up three birdies to keep her challengers at bay.

Meanwhile, Ko briefly grabbed the lead at 20 under after a birdie at the par-five 8th hole, but faltered with three back-nine bogeys, finishing with a 71 and settling for a 17-under-par total.

“This Means So Much to Me”
Reflecting on her breakthrough win, Noh expressed the significance of this moment in her career:

“This means so much to me. I worked really hard the past few years and went through a lot of struggles. I told myself 2025 is going to be my year, so this is the best way to start it.”

Clutch Performance Down the Stretch
As Ko stumbled with consecutive bogeys at the 13th and 14th holes, Noh remained poised, capitalizing with back-to-back birdies. Her confident uphill left-to-right putt at No. 14 pushed her lead to 21 under, effectively sealing her first LPGA Tour victory.

With this triumph, Noh has set the tone for what she hopes will be a career-defining season, proving that 2025 could indeed be her year.