Haeran Ryu was casually hitting at The Renaissance Club, thinking she was playing on a 72-par course. But little did she know that her third round would set a major record. Straight after winning the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the South Korean professional posted the lowest round in LPGA major history, an 11-under 60. During the post-round conference, a reporter asked Ryu whether she was aware she was putting for a score of 59 when she lined up on the 18th green, and her reply was absolutely hilarious.

“No, never know. No. I never know because, I don’t know here is par 71. That’s why I just hit it — I just — I don’t my score on the green today, so that’s why I don’t know on the hole 18. But after the putt and I counted my score with my caddie, oh, my God, it’s 11-under par today. It was so amazing. My caddie says, yep. Yeah, I’m so happy right now.”

After opening rounds of 66 and 68, Ryu’s bogey-free third round made history.

🤔 golf trivia

This Should Be an Easy One, Right?

01/10

Before 2026 Scottish Open, in Which Tournament Scheffler Last Missed the Cut?

2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship2023 Memorial Tournament2021 Players Championship2024 Genesis Scottish Open

Oops, bogey!

But don’t worry, there’s still the back 9 to prove your high golf IQ

PLAY GOLF TRIVIA

Today, she hit nine birdies and an eagle for her round of 60. While she hit an eagle on the 15th in Round 2, her eagle in Round 3 came on the par-4 6th. After landing her tee shot on the fairway, Ryu took her second shot without watching—she was already moving to the next hole. But then came the noise, and she realized that it was an eagle.

She raised both arms, club in hand, her smile broadening as she realized what had happened. She then followed with a high-five to her caddie, and her smile broadened as she moved to the top of the leaderboard alongside Lottie Woad.

“That hole is little tricky to every players because little narrow and the green is little hilly, so that’s why I just want to make par that hole. But I hit hybrid on the tee shot and pretty good shot there, and then I think I used meters, so that second shot is 141 meters maybe. I hit 7-iron there and then it’s pretty good shot there, so I just hit, okay, good shot. I just walking towards three meters and it’s going in. So it was so happy and surprise there,” she said about the eagle.

Thanks to that and nine birdies, she registered the lowest major round in LPGA history. While the full history of the record is unclear, Hyo Joo Kim (2014) and Minjee Lee (2021) were among prior record holders in the same event.

Now, Ryu has dethroned them without intending to. All she wanted was to play well enough to get into the weekend.

“No. When we first start this tournament the press conference I said my goal is just play on the weekend; that’s it. But so good,” she added.

She is now in contention to win a consecutive major after her victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. And coincidentally, there’s a similar pattern between the two.

At Hazeltine, Ryu opened with a 73. This left her 10 shots behind first‑round leader Ina Yoon. But she didn’t just clear the deficit. She continued to perform well in the third and fourth rounds despite the wind that troubled even Nelly Korda. This time, she already has a three-stroke lead over Aki Iwai, who is 16-under par after Round 3. And she has all the momentum to continue the lead and add another major to her resume.