Yoon Yi-na Stays in Contention Despite Gap to Leader
After the third round of the Chevron Championship, the season’s opening major on the LPGA Tour with a prize pool of $9 million, Yoon Yi-na remains positioned for a strong finish while trailing the frontrunner.
Competing at Memorial Park Golf Course (par 71) in Houston, Texas, Yoon carded a 1-under 71 with three birdies and two bogeys. Her tournament total stands at 8-under 208, placing her in solo fifth — a slight drop from her previous shared third position.
The distance to leader Nelly Koda of the United States widened to eight strokes, as Koda sits atop the leaderboard at 16-under 200. Still, Yoon has secured back-to-back top-five opportunities, following her solo fourth finish at the JM Eagle Los Angeles Championship the previous week.
Recovery from Slow Start
The season began roughly for Yoon, who placed between 40th and 50th in her first three tour events. However, momentum shifted starting with a tie for sixth at the Ford Championship, followed by a tie for 17th at the Aramco Championship, and then her career-best fourth place in LA — her highest finish since joining the LPGA Tour.
Her recent success stems largely from exceptional accuracy. In this tournament, Yoon averages 250 yards off the tee and leads all competitors with a 79.62% greens-in-regulation rate. During the third round, she missed only three greens but needed 32 putts, which limited her scoring potential.
Strong Start Fades
Yoon surged early with birdies on holes 1, 2, and 3 (all par-5s), climbing briefly to solo second place. Unfortunately, bogeys at the 8th (par-5) and 17th (par-4) prevented further progress.
“I had high hopes after such a good beginning, but my putter let me down,” Yoon reflected afterward. “Even so, starting the final round of my first major this year in the top five means something. I want to play even better tomorrow.”
Confidence Despite the Deficit
Though eight shots separate her from Koda heading into the final round, Yoon remains optimistic. “I’ve chased down a nine-stroke deficit before, so I’m confident about making up ground,” she stated. “I’ll play aggressively and with confidence, just as I always do.”
Her reference points to a memorable performance during the 2024 KLPGA Tour Lotte Open, where she began the final round eight strokes behind leader Lee Ga-young. Yoon fired a 9-under round to reach a playoff, ultimately finishing second after an intense battle.
Other Korean Competitors
Several Korean players remain in striking distance:
- Im Jin-hee shot 3-under for the round and sits in a tie for 10th at 6-under 210
- Two-time winner this season Kim Hyo-joo posted 4-under and shares 16th place at 4-under 212 alongside amateur Yang Yoon-seo
- Choi Hye-jin and Lee So-mi are tied for 20th at 3-under 213
Koda’s Dominance Tested by Putting Struggles
Front-runner Koda has dominated since the tournament’s opening, posting consecutive 7-under rounds in the first two days. She exploded out of the gate in Round 3, collecting four birdies through the first six holes and reaching 18-under at one point.
Her early highlights included a bunker shot to 1.2 meters on hole 1, a precise 8-iron tee shot on hole 2 that nearly found the cup, and successful birdie conversions on holes 5 and 6.
However, Koda failed to add another birdie after the 6th hole. A long lob wedge on hole 8 led to her first bogey, disrupting her rhythm. Missed birdie opportunities on holes 13, 14, and 15 added frustration, and another bogey on 13 after failing a par putt further stalled her progress.
Despite hitting only two greens in regulation during the back nine, Koda required 32 putts total. Short-putt struggles — a recurring issue this season — continued to plague her performance.
“The front nine was flawless, but everything changed after the 8th,” Koda admitted. “My putts kept drifting right, so I need more practice. I have to reset and hope tomorrow goes better.”
Following her round, Koda headed straight to the practice putting green. Despite the struggles, she remains in excellent form this season, having won the season opener and finishing runner-up in three subsequent events.
“I’ll focus on myself and stick to my routine,” she said. “I won’t let outside noise distract me.”
Chasing Pack Closes In
Second-place Patti Tavatanakit of Thailand, the 2021 champion of this event, trailed by as many as eight strokes during the round but stayed focused. She posted a 3-under round to finish at 11-under 205, now just five shots behind Koda.
Yin Ruoning of China surged with a 6-under performance to share third place at 10-under 206 alongside France’s Pauline Roussin-Bouchard. Noh Ye-rim (USA), Gaby Lopez (Mexico), Liu Yang (China), and college amateur Perry O’Keefe (USA) are tied for sixth at 7-under 209, keeping the leaderboard crowded heading into the final day.