Ina Yoon Ties Women's PGA Championship Record With Opening 9-Under 63

Ina Yoon matched the all-time tournament record with a 63 at Hazeltine National to take a two-stroke lead over Karis Davidson.

Ina Yoon carded a 9-under 63 on Thursday to tie the all-time scoring record at the Women's PGA Championship, establishing a two-stroke lead at Hazeltine National Golf Club. The 23-year-old South Korean, currently ranked 39th in the world, birdied five of her final six holes to match the historic marks set by Patty Sheehan in 1984 and Nelly Korda in 2021. This opening round performance at the season's third major represents the fourth-best first-round score at any major since 1980, trailing only Hyo Joo Kim (61), Mirim Lee (61), and Lorena Ochoa (62). Yoon, who is pursuing her first career LPGA Tour victory, utilized a precise putting performance to navigate the long Chaska, Minnesota course that demands both muscle and accuracy off the tee.

Karis Davidson sits in solo second place after recording eight birdies during a career-best 65. The 27-year-old Australian finished her round more than four hours after Yoon, taking advantage of calm and partly cloudy conditions. Davidson entered the week with a streak of 15 consecutive made cuts, the third-longest active run on the tour. Her previous high mark this season was a fifth-place tie at the Aramco Championship in April. Following the leaders, Alexa Pano and A Lim Kim share third place at 5-under 67, while Aline Krauter, Hye-Jin Choi, and Megan Kang remain in contention after posting rounds of 68.

Korda and Thitikul Chase History

World No. 1 Nelly Korda opened with a 2-under 70 as she attempts to become the third woman ever to win the first three majors of a calendar year, a feat previously achieved by Babe Zaharias in 1950 and Inbee Park in 2013. Korda’s round was hampered by a double-bogey on the lakeside 16th hole, where a fast swing resulted in a penalty stroke after her ball found the water. On the 18th green, her 19-foot birdie attempt stopped one inch short of the cup, forcing a tap-in par. Despite the setback, Korda maintains the longest active cut streak on tour at 31 tournaments.

Jeeno Thitikul, the world’s second-ranked player, shot a 3-under 69 to secure her fifth career top-10 start at a major. The Thai athlete led the tour last season with 45 rounds under 70 in official stroke play. Thitikul is seeking her first major title while competing on a course where her close friend and compatriot Hannah Green won this specific championship in 2019.

Tactical Execution at Hazeltine National

Alexa Pano highlighted her back nine with an eagle and three birdies to reach her 67. Pano emphasized a mental strategy of focusing on her foot positioning and individual shot execution rather than the overall leaderboard. This disciplined approach was mirrored by Yoon, who described her mindset as trying to "think nothing" and focusing entirely on the process of each swing. Yoon noted that the ball seemed to drop into the hole effortlessly throughout her record-matching afternoon.

Amanda Doherty provided the highlight of the day on the 17th hole, recording a hole-in-one during her round of 72. The field scoring was generally low despite the length of the Hazeltine layout, with five Americans finishing the day inside the top eight including ties. Davidson attributed her success to hitting a high volume of fairways and greens, noting that her putting felt "perfect" enough to hole every attempt.

Historical Context of the 63

Yoon’s 63 is significant not just for the Women's PGA Championship record books, but for its place in major championship history. Since 1980, only three players have produced better opening rounds in the women's majors. The 9-under par total matches the effort Korda produced during the second round of her 2021 victory and the third-round 63 Sheehan posted 40 years ago.

As the field moves into the second round, the focus remains on whether Yoon can maintain her momentum toward a maiden victory or if Korda can recover from her lakeside error to continue her pursuit of the Grand Slam. Celine Boutier also remains a factor in the consistency rankings, holding the second-longest active cut streak at 20 tournaments. The leaderboard remains crowded with international talent, as players from South Korea, Australia, Germany, and the United States occupy the top seven spots heading into Friday.