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Haeran Ryu bounces back from major disappointment, wins wire-to-wire in Utah

IVINS, Utah — Haeran Ryu made an 8-foot eagle putt during a flawless back nine that allowed her to pull away Sunday with an 8-under 64, giving her a five-shot victory at the inaugural Black Desert Championship in the LPGA Tour’s return to Utah after a 61-year absence.

Ryu became the second player to go wire-to-wire on the LPGA Tour this year, and it was her second time winning a new event. She won the FM Championship at the TPC Boston last year.

She was coming off a rough finish at the Chevron Championship last week, sharing the 54-hole lead at the first major of the year until closing with a 76.

This one was closer than the five-shot margin indicated. Ryu was clinging to a one-shot lead over Esther Henseleit of Germany going to the back nine. She missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the 10th — her third straight miss from short range for birdie.

But then she made a 15-foot birdie putt at the 11th, and her eagle at the 13th put her ahead by four shots.

“Incredible day,” said Ryu, who now has won in each of the last seven years dating to her first win as an 18-year-old on the Korea LPGA.

Henseleit, who started three shots behind, went out in 31 to get within one shot. She cooled on the back nine, not making another birdie until the 18th hole for a 66. She tied for second with Ruoning Yin (67), the final challenge to Ryu.

“Started out great on the front nine and then couldn’t quite keep up on the back,” Henseleit said. “Haeran played amazing and she really deserved to win it today.”

Yin, who got back into the mix with a 62 on Saturday, was four shots behind at the turn. She ran off four straight birdies starting at the 11th, all of them inside 8 feet. The last one got her to within three shots of Ryu.

The South Korean responded with an approach into 3 feet on the 15th for a birdie to restore her lead to four shots, and Yin fell back with a double bogey from the bunker on the 16th.

“I play 70 good holes,” Yin said. “I made a triple on the first day and then a double on 16 today. But overall, I think my game is really solid.”

Yan Liu closed with a 65 to finish alone in fourth.

Stephanie Kyriacou of Australia finished with the shot of the day, a fairway metal on the par-5 18th that rolled in for an albatross, giving her a 67 to tie for sixth.