Haeran Ryu Completes Historic Major Comeback at Women's PGA Championship Following Abdominal Surgery

A month before the 2026 KPMG Women's PGA Championship, Haeran Ryu was not thinking about making golf history. She was focused entirely on her health. Sidelined by a nagging abdominal injury that required minor surgery, the 25-year-old South Korean was forced to withdraw from the U.S. Women's Open and step away from the LPGA Tour. When she finally returned to the tee box at Hazeltine National Golf Club, expectations were understandably tempered. Yet, over four days in Minnesota, Ryu orchestrated one of the most improbable turnarounds the sport has ever seen, erasing a massive first-round deficit to capture her maiden major title.[1][3]

The foundation of Ryu's historic victory was built during her six-week medical absence. Rather than rushing her rehabilitation to compete in the season's earlier majors, she opted for a complete physical and mental reset. She returned to South Korea, distancing herself from the relentless grind of professional golf. Ryu spent her recovery period resting, working remotely with her swing coach, and enjoying her mother's home-cooked meals. 'It was a little bit sad to miss the U.S. Open, but it is OK,' Ryu reflected after her win. 'I worked hard again and got good rest, and had a good time with my parents and my friends.'[2][3][4][5]

That strategic pause proved vital, though the competitive rust was glaringly evident when she finally returned to tournament action. Thursday’s opening round at Hazeltine National was a grueling struggle from the first tee. Ryu carded a one-over-par 73, a sluggish score that left her languishing near the projected cut line and seemingly out of contention. Meanwhile, her compatriot Ina Yoon lit up the notoriously difficult course with a blistering nine-under 63, establishing the lowest opening round in the history of the Women's PGA Championship.[3][4][5]

Trailing by 10 shots after just 18 holes, Ryu’s chances of lifting the trophy appeared mathematically nonexistent. Advanced statistical models tracking the tournament gave her a microscopic 0.2 percent probability of winning the major. For Ryu, the immediate goal was no longer capturing a title, but simply surviving the 36-hole cut. 'I just thought, This is the comeback tournament. I just want to play on the weekend,' she admitted, focusing entirely on incremental improvements rather than the daunting leaderboard.[3][5]

Searching for a spark to ignite her game, Ryu made a bold equipment change midway through the major championship. She swapped out her flat stick for a Scotty Cameron putter—the exact same model she had successfully utilized during a runner-up finish in Cincinnati earlier in the year. The mid-tournament adjustment paid immediate and spectacular dividends. On Friday, Ryu navigated the demanding Hazeltine layout with surgical precision, firing a flawless, bogey-free 64 to vault up the standings and comfortably secure her place in the weekend rounds.[2][3][5]

The surging momentum carried seamlessly into Saturday’s critical 'moving day.' While Yoon and several other early frontrunners began to falter under the escalating pressure of the major championship setup, Ryu remained unflappable, carding a resolute 68 in challenging conditions. By posting the lowest score in the entire field during both the second and third rounds, she achieved a rare statistical milestone, becoming the first player at the Women's PGA Championship to accomplish that specific feat since Hall of Famer Mickey Wright did so in 1966.[2][3]

Sunday’s highly anticipated final round tested the entire field’s mental and physical endurance before a single golf shot was even struck. A severe storm system moved aggressively through Chaska, Minnesota, forcing tournament officials to implement a grueling three-and-a-half-hour weather delay. When play finally resumed on the damp course, Ryu showed brief signs of vulnerability. She wobbled early, dropping three crucial shots with unexpected bogeys on three of her first five holes, which temporarily allowed Canada’s Brooke Henderson to snatch the outright lead.[4][6]

But Ryu’s newly restored physical health and mental clarity ultimately shone through on the critical back nine. She steadied her nerves with a brilliant mid-round stretch of golf, draining lengthy, momentum-saving putts on the 9th, 10th, and 12th holes to firmly wrestle back control of the tournament narrative. Over the final three rounds combined, Ryu played spectacular 14-under-par golf, a staggering six shots better than anyone else in the elite field managed to produce across that same pivotal stretch.[1][4]

Down the closing stretch, Ryu displayed the poise of a seasoned veteran. She executed a clutch par save on the 16th hole and finished with six consecutive pars to close out her round. On the 18th green, she tapped in a one-foot putt to sign for a final-round 70, securing a 13-under 275 total and a two-shot victory over Yoon. As the final putt dropped, Ryu laughed and pumped her fist, later explaining to reporters that the surreal moment simply 'felt like a dream.'[1][5]

The stunning victory permanently cemented Ryu’s place in the professional golf history books. By successfully erasing a 10-shot deficit after the first round, she tied the all-time record for the largest turnaround in a women’s major championship—a legendary mark originally set by Carol Mann at the 1964 Women's Western Open. 'It is dreams come true. I am so happy,' an emotional Ryu said during the trophy presentation. 'Next tournament, they will introduce me like, Major champion, Haeran Ryu. It is amazing for me.'[1][2][3]

The triumph also carried unprecedented financial rewards that highlight the growing commercial power of the women's game. Ryu took home a staggering $1.95 million from the record-setting $13 million overall purse, officially claiming the largest single winner’s payout in the history of women’s professional golf. The massive prize pool reflects the ongoing surge in corporate investment, sponsor backing, and global television viewership that the LPGA Tour has successfully cultivated over the past several highly competitive seasons. This financial milestone further validates the tour's upward trajectory.[2][5]

Ryu’s historic weekend also generated significant ripple effects for the sport’s biggest active superstar. World No. 1 Nelly Korda, who arrived in Minnesota chasing a phenomenally rare third consecutive major championship to start her season, battled valiantly throughout Sunday’s weather-delayed final round. Ultimately, Korda finished in a tie for eighth place, ending up seven shots adrift of Ryu's winning pace. Korda’s historic bid to become only the third woman in golf history to win three straight majors will now have to wait for another year.[1][6]

For Ryu, who previously captured the 2023 LPGA Rookie of the Year award, the Hazeltine victory represents her fourth career professional title. More impressively, it ensures she has successfully won at least one tournament in each of her first four seasons on the tour. That remarkable streak of sustained early-career excellence was last achieved by former World No. 1 Jin Young Ko, who accomplished the exact same four-year winning feat between the 2017 and 2020 seasons. Ryu now joins that elite echelon of consistent champions.[1][6]

Beyond the broken records and the life-changing prize money, Ryu’s comeback win offers a highly compelling narrative regarding the critical importance of load management in modern professional sports. In an era where elite athletes frequently attempt to push through severe pain to maintain their lucrative world rankings, Ryu’s difficult decision to undergo mid-season surgery, skip a prestigious major, and prioritize her long-term physical health ultimately delivered the absolute greatest achievement of her young career. Her victory stands as a testament to the power of patience and strategic recovery.[2][3]