LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) Tour players Im Jin-hee and Lee So-mi delivered exciting news of their victory early on the 30th. They achieved their long-awaited first win simultaneously in the only team event on the LPGA Tour.

Im Jin-hee and Lee So-mi lifted the championship trophy after defeating the team of Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang in a playoff at the LPGA Tour Dow Championship, which concluded at the Midland Country Club (par 70) in Midland, Michigan, on the 30th. They will share a prize of $399,510 (about 5.4 billion won) each.

Im Jin-hee and Lee So-mi transitioned to the LPGA Tour after competing in the Korea Ladies Professional Golf (KLPGA) Tour. While Im Jin-hee secured six wins and Lee So-mi five wins domestically, they had not won on the LPGA until now.

The Dow Championship features a scramble format in the first and third rounds (where one ball is played alternately by two players) and a better ball format in the second and fourth rounds (where each player plays their own ball and the best score is counted). Playoffs are conducted again in the scramble format. Coordination between the two players is crucial in scramble play.

In the final round, conducted under better ball format, Im Jin-hee and Lee So-mi made a significant reduction of eight strokes, finishing with a total score of 20 under par. The team of Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang also made a birdie on the 18th hole, tying them.

However, in scramble format, the two players must coordinate perfectly to achieve a good performance. The playoff is in scramble format, which is the decisive moment to determine whose coordination is superior.

The playoff began on the par three 18th hole. Lexi Thompson took the first tee shot, landing the ball within 2 meters of the pin. Following her, Lee So-mi approached the tee box but remained unfazed. She took her shot without any pressure, stopping the ball 2.5 meters from the pin.

Now it was Im Jin-hee's turn to show her skill. She confidently dropped the ball into the hole, and Megan Khang, watching, seemed to feel psychological pressure; despite it being a shorter distance, her putt was pulled back towards her body, and the ball missed the cup. It was a moment that revealed the superior coordination between Im Jin-hee and Lee So-mi.

Throughout the tournament, the two exhibited remarkable coordination.

They shared several commonalities. Both have struggled to achieve notable results in their second year on the LPGA Tour. In their post-victory interview, Im Jin-hee and Lee So-mi said, "Since debuting in the LPGA last year, we have experienced much stress. We are incredibly happy to achieve such a good result today. We plan to team up again for this tournament next year."

They also shared the commonality of being from islands. Im Jin-hee hails from Jeju Island, while Lee So-mi is from Wando. The team name "BTI" has a hidden meaning; it stands for "Born To be Island."

The collaboration between players from the islands brought Korea its fourth championship trophy of the season on the LPGA Tour. This season, Korean players have combined for four wins, following victories by Kim A-rim (February), Kim Hyo-joo (March), and Yoo Hae-ran (May).

[OSEN]