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Ryu So-yeon

Ryu So-yeon (Korean: 유소연; MR: Ryu Soyŏn; pronounced [ɾju sojʌn]; born 29 June 1990), also known as So Yeon Ryu, is a South Korean professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour and on the LPGA of Korea Tour.

She is a two-time major winner having won the 2011 U.S. Women's Open and the 2017 ANA Inspiration.

On 26 June 2017, she became only the 11th No. 1 ranked golfer in the Rolex Rankings by virtue of winning her 5th LPGA Tour title at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

Professional career

Ryu turned professional in 2007 at age 17. Her first win as a professional came in February 2008 on the American Cactus Tour, in which she won by six strokes.[2] She then joined the LPGA of Korea, winning the first event she played, the Sports Seoul Open.

On 11 July 2011, Ryu won the U.S. Women's Open. On the 18th hole of the final round, the toughest hole for the tournament, she trailed the clubhouse leader Hee Kyung Seo by one stroke, but hit her approach to 6 feet and made the birdie putt to force a playoff. Ryu won the three-hole playoff with a birdie on the last hole.

Ryu picked up her second career LPGA Tour win in 2012 at the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic. With one tournament still to play in the season, Ryu had a big enough lead in the LPGA Rookie of the Year points standings to clinch the award for the season.[3]

On 23 June 2013, Ryu lost in a sudden-death playoff at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship to fellow South Korean Inbee Park. Park made birdie on the first extra hole to take the victory after Ryu could only make par.

On 2 April 2017, Ryu won her second major championship at the ANA Inspiration with a sudden-death playoff victory over Lexi Thompson. The tournament was controversial though, after leader Thompson was handed a retrospective four stroke penalty midway through the final round, for an infringement reported by a TV viewer during the third round. Thompson was found to have incorrectly marked and replaced her ball on the 17th hole during the third round. At the time, Thompson had a two stroke advantage. Ryu went on to win with a birdie on the first extra hole of the playoff.

On 25 June 2017, Ryu won the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship and became the number one golfer in the Women's World Golf Rankings.[4][5]

In March 2024, Ryu announced her intention to retire after the 2024 Chevron Championship.[6]

Personal life

Ryu took classes at Yonsei University while also competing full-time on the LPGA Tour.[7] She graduated in February 2013 with a degree in sports business.[8]

Professional wins (20)

LPGA Tour wins (6)

LPGA Tour playoff record (2–4)

LPGA of Korea Tour wins (10)

LPGA of Japan Tour wins (1)

Ladies European Tour wins (1)

Cactus Tour wins (1)

Other wins (2)

Major championships

Wins (2)

1 Defeated Hee Kyung Seo in a three-hole playoff: Ryu (3-4-3=10) and Seo (3-6-4=13)
2 Defeated Lexi Thompson in a sudden death playoff with birdie on first extra hole

Results timeline

Results not in chronological order.

^ The Evian Championship was added as a major in 2013.

  Win
  Top 10
  Did not play

DQ = disqualified
CUT = missed the half-way cut
NT = no tournament
T = tied

Summary

LPGA Tour career summary

* Includes matchplay and other events without a cut.
Ryu was not a member of the LPGA Tour until 2012. Money earned from 2008 to 2011 was not considered official by the LPGA Tour.

World ranking

Position in Women's World Golf Rankings at the end of each calendar year.

Team appearances

Amateur

Professional

References

  1. ^ Crouse, Karen (11 July 2011). "New Open Winner Ponders Tough Choice: School or Tour?". New York Times. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  2. ^ "Cactus Tour 2008 Results". Cactus Tour web site. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
  3. ^ "Ryu Know It!". LPGA. 29 October 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  4. ^ "So Yeon Ryu wins in Arkansas; first two-time winner this year". ESPN. Associated Press. 25 June 2017.
  5. ^ "So Yeon Ryu Becomes No. 1 Player in Rolex Rankings". LPGA. 26 June 2017.
  6. ^ "Two-time major winner So Yeon Ryu retiring after 13 years on LPGA Tour". ESPN. Field Level Media. 21 March 2024.
  7. ^ Mell, Randall (27 April 2012). "College and pro golf? It's possible". Golf Channel. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  8. ^ "Ryu So-yeon Graduates". Golfcourier.com. 25 February 2013. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  9. ^ "So Yeon Ryu results". LPGA. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 25 December 2007.
  11. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 30 December 2008.
  12. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 29 December 2009.
  13. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 28 December 2010.
  14. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 27 December 2011.
  15. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 31 December 2012.
  16. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 30 December 2013.
  17. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 29 December 2014.
  18. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 28 December 2015.
  19. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 26 December 2016.
  20. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 25 December 2017.
  21. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 31 December 2018.
  22. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 30 December 2019.
  23. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 28 December 2020.
  24. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 27 December 2021.
  25. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 26 December 2022.
  26. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 25 December 2023.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ryu So-yeon.