PAJU, South Korea — Hannah Green of Australia shot a 1-under 71 to win the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea, her sixth victory on the LPGA Tour and her third this season.
Green finished at 19-under 269 for the tournament and led or shared the lead after all four rounds.
Celine Boutier of France finished one stroke behind Green, shooting a 6-under 66. Chanettee Wannasaen of Thailand shot 68 and was two shots behind the winner, AP reported.
Two golfers tied for fourth and finished three strokes behind – Hye-Jin Choi (67) of South Korea and compatriot Yu Jin Sung (72).
The field of the tournament was loaded with eight of the top 10 LPGA players facing off.
The main absence was No. 1-ranked Nelly Korda, who withdrew before the event with a neck injury.
The tournament also included 17 of the 18 winners from events this season.
Yu Jin Sung of South Korea soared up the leaderboard with her 9-under 63, the best score of the round at the Seowon Valley Country Club, and was two shots back, AP reported.
Ashleigh Buhai of South Africa was three off the lead after a 71, and Haeran Ryu of South Korea and Ryann O´Toole of the United States were four off the pace after they both carded 68s.
The field is loaded with 17 of the tour´s 18 winners this season. The one major absence is Nelly Korda, the LPGA’s No. 1-ranked golfer. She withdrew before the event with a neck injury.
South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai was on 15-under, while American Ryann O’Toole and South Korea’s Ryu Hae-ran were both one stroke further behind.
Former world No. 1 Atthaya was on 13-under overall after a scintillating third-round score of eight-under 64.
“I think focusing is the most important key for me,” said the 21-year-old, who had nine birdies and one bogey.
“The past few days or past few weeks, it’s been really good. And then if I can keep that in my mind, it should be good tomorrow.”
Olympic champion Lydia Ko finished six shots off the pace after a one-under round of 71.
Defending champion Minjee Lee put an indifferent start to the tournament behind her to move to 10-under overall after shooting a 66.
Joel Dahmen, meanwhile, withdrew before the start of the second round at the Shriners Open, one day after absorbing a four-stroke penalty for carrying an extra club.
Dahmen, 36, was sitting in 131st place out of 132 players at 5-over-par entering the wind-delayed second round at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas.
The situation could impact Dahmen’s playing status for next year, Reuters reported.
He is currently No 124 in the FedEx Cup Fall standings, and the top 125 players at the end of the fall circuit will retain full status on tour for 2025.
He self-reported having 15 clubs in his bag, one more than allowed, during his opening round.
Dahmen said most pros travel with 15 or 16 clubs but he somehow forgot to reduce the total to 14 before the start of play.
“I’d like to blame (caddie) Geno (Bonnalie). That would be the easy thing to do. It’s not his fault either,” Dahmen said.
“Why, I don’t know it got there. Yeah, we got to (No.) 4 tee and I grabbed a water and I walked over to my bag and I saw a 4-iron that was in the wrong spot, and our stuff is always in the right spot. It wasn’t in the right spot.”
