South Korea's Youmin Hwang birdied five of the last six holes to capture the Lotte Championship for her first LPGA Tour victory, as Ireland's Stephanie Meadow finished well down the leaderboard.
Meadow was never able to match her impressive opening round 68 and signed for a level par round of 74 to finish off her tournament.
A birdie and bogey on the front nine, along with the same on the back nine left her on level par for the tournament, taking a share of 59th place.
Hwang carded a 5-under-par 67 to finish at 17-under 271, one stroke ahead of fellow South Korean Hyo Joo Kim, who birdied No. 18 and shot 68 on Saturday, and two ahead of Japan's Minami Katsu (69).
The 22-year-old Hwang fired a career-best and course-record, 10-under 62 on Thursday to hold a three-shot lead after two rounds at Hoakalei Country Club. She followed that with a 3-over 75 on Friday to fall into an eight-way tie for second at 12 under.
Hwang had a flat front nine on Saturday, following one birdie at the par-3 fourth with a bogey at the par-5 fifth and otherwise settling for par. The back nine was a different story after three straight pars.
She birdied the par-4 13th to get to 13 under for the tournament, made par at 14 and then ripped off consecutive birdies from 15 to 18 the first hole a par-3 and the last a par-5.
"I actually didn't believe in myself, but, yeah, my caddie, he supported me very well during the course," Hwang said through a translator when asked about the tournament-ending birdie run. "He said we can make it, and he said some kind of support from him. Thanks to his support, I think I can be here the winner of today's championship."
With Hwang's first LPGA Tour win, she can choose to become a tour member immediately or defer to 2026. Hwang also has two career victories on the LPGA of Korea Tour, and she won a Taiwan LPGA Tour event this year.
"I'm glad things went very well, just as I planned for this year as challenge," Hwang said through a translator and also thanked Lotte, which invited her to the tournament as the sponsor.
World No. 2 Nelly Korda, seeking her first win in 2025, carded 69 for the third time in four rounds (the other a 67 on Thursday) to finish in a four-way tie for fourth at 14 under.
