The 9-Under 63 Ina Yoon Posted That Tells You Everything About the Women's PGA
HOLY MOLY, Seattle sports fans! You will NOT believe what just went down at Hazeltine National. Ina Yoon, a 23-year-old from South Korea, absolutely went off, torching the course with a mind-blowing 9-under 63 to kick off the Women's PGA Championship. Yeah, you heard that right, a 63! That score isn't merely good, it's history-making, tying the best score ever recorded at this major. This isn't just a strong start, this is a statement, and everyone else is scrambling to keep up.
Yoon's Putter Was On Fire
Seriously, what did Yoon eat for breakfast? She’s ranked 39th in the world, still chasing her very first LPGA Tour victory, and she decided to go nuclear on a major championship course. She birdied five of her last six holes! Her putter was straight up laser-focused, dropping balls in the cup like it was nothing. The conditions at Hazeltine were calm and partly cloudy, sure, and the course is long, demanding accuracy and muscle off the tee. But Yoon just owned it. She even sounded a little surprised herself, saying, "I hit the golf ball and it dropped in the hole and it was really an awesome experience." Can you even imagine that feeling?
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The Leaderboard Is Wild, But Korda's Got Work
So, who's even close to this absolute masterclass? Karis Davidson managed a stellar 65, including eight birdies, but she’s still two strokes back after Yoon’s epic run. Talk about putting pressure on the field! And then there's Nelly Korda, aiming for a wild piece of history herself, trying to become only the third woman to win the first three major tournaments this season. She opened with a 70. That's a solid score on any other day, but when Yoon drops a 63, Korda's got some serious ground to make up. Alexa Pano and A Lim Kim are tied for third at 67, with Aline Krauter, Hye-Jin Choi, and Megan Kang following at 68. Pano even dropped an eagle and three birdies on the back nine, saying her goal was "just to really focus on where my feet are and focus on the shot at hand." That's the mindset you need when someone is running away with it!
History Was Made, And There's More To Come
This 9-under 63 isn't just a personal best; it puts Yoon in elite company. Only Korda in 2021 and Patty Sheehan in 1984 have also carded 9-under 63s at previous Women's PGA Championships. Plus, Yoon's score is the fourth-best first-round score at any major since 1980, trailing only Hyo Joo Kim (2014), Mirim Lee (2016), and Lorena Ochoa (2007) who each went 10-under or 10-under 61/62. It's a truly historic start. This tournament is far from over, but Yoon has put everyone on notice. Can she keep this incredible momentum going? You know we'll be glued to every swing. The Women's PGA Championship just got real, and we can't wait to see what happens next!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.