The Dow Championship is a player-favorite every year. It’s the only chance to pair up with a friend (or sister) on the LPGA Tour and compete as a team for the weekend.
The format for the 2025 Dow Championship is alternate shot on days 1 and 3 and four-ball (or best ball) on days 2 and 4.
This year’s event saw many well-known names atop the leaderboard at various points. Gemma Dryburgh and Cassie Porter (the Kilted Koalas) led after the first round, Jennifer Kupcho and Leona Maguire (Irish Goodbyes) led after the second round, and Sarah Schmelzel and Albane Valenzuela (Show me the Doni) led after the third round.
However, it was a showdown on the final day that brought us our first-time champions, Jin Hee Im and Somi Lee (Team BTI) from South Korea. Many eyes have been on Lexi Thompson these last few weeks as she’s hovered near the top of the leaderboard despite her recent partial retirement. She paired up with Solheim Cup teammate Megan Khang to create Team Biggie Smalls.
Going into the last round, where each golfer played her own ball and the team took the best individual score per hole, Team Biggie Smalls shot a bogey-free 60 to put them in contention for the win. Team BTI also shot a bogey-free round of 62. Im and Lee kept that momentum going into the first playoff hole. Lee put her shot to 8 feet and Im sunk the birdie putt to put pressure on Khang and her 5-foot birdie putt opportunity from Thompson. Khang missed low, giving Im and Lee their first LPGA titles, though they each have several Korea LPGA (KLPGA) wins.
Im shared what she was thinking before making the winning putt, saying, “I just think about Somi’s shot, like that Lexi hit it really near to the pin, but she doesn’t care and just
hitting to the pin. I tried to do the same, just go for it.”
Lee said, “First, I can’t believe it. Last year we were rookie season, and LPGA is very tough and different than KLPGA.
Now we are winners, so I’m so happy, yeah.”
Lee earned her spot into the Amundi Evian Championship in France two weeks, the fourth LPGA Tour major. We will not see Thompson at the major, which is nothing new – she hasn’t competed at the Amundi Evian Championship in over five years.
