Staff WriterAt the 2025 Dow Championship, the scoreboard wasn’t the only thing lighting up—so were the faces of two Rolex First-Time Winners who played as if destiny owed them a trophy and had finally come to collect.
South Korean duo Somi Lee and Jin Hee Im put on a clinic in the heart of Midland, Michigan, finishing at 20-under par before clinching victory in a nail-chewing alternate-shot playoff against veterans Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang.
It was the first playoff in Dow Championship history, and with eight birdies and not a single bogey in their final round 62, Lee and Im made it one for the books.
“First, I can’t believe it. said Lee. 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.”
The Dow Championship, known for its team format and relentless test of synergy, saw the pair hit 11 of 14 fairways, 16 of 18 greens, and roll in just 26 putts on the final day.
The win wasn’t just symbolic—it stamped both players’ tickets to the upper echelon of the 2025 LPGA Tour and earned Lee a berth at the Amundi Evian Championship.
“I just think about Somi’s shot,” said Im, reflecting on her mindset before the playoff putt. “Lexi hit it really near to the pin, but she [Somi] doesn’t care and just hits to the pin. I tried to do the same, just go for it.”
Go for it they did—and now, the newly crowned champions walk away with $399,510 each, over 400 Race to CME Globe points, and a permanent place in LPGA history.
Lee becomes the 50th player from the Republic of Korea to win on Tour, Im the 51st. That’s a dynasty, folks.
The Runners-Up: Almost, But Not Quite
Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang were brilliant but ultimately denied. Their final round 60—fueled by 10 birdies and not a blemish in sight—brought them to 20-under, but the playoff was where the magic ran dry.
“Definitely knowing that the work that I’ve been doing on the greens has kind of been paying off, other than the last putt. Just kind of really happy where my game is trending. It’s been kind of, I feel like, a slow start for me this year” Khang admitted. “But coming in second with Lexi and taking that to Europe is definitely going to be a great momentum change and hopefully keep riding that.”
Thompson, in her sixth Dow start, and Khang, in her fifth, both logged their best finishes yet at Midland Country Club—no small feat considering the event’s punishing pace and demand for cohesion.
The Best of the Rest
Finishing tied for third, the Belgian-French duo of Manon de Roey and Pauline Roussin-Bouchard shot 64, including five birdies in their first six holes. “I think it’s important to remind ourselves that like we can have so much fun like that and still perform at a high level. Sometimes it tends to be a little serious. So it’s a good reminder that we can play our best golf when we have fun.
Yeah, it’s a lot of good vibes. Our heart is full. We had an amazing host this week as well. Like just the whole week is just the most fun out of the whole year” Roussin-Bouchard said, bringing a refreshing bit of joie de vivre to the often stoic sport.
They shared T3 with Miranda Wang and Lindy Duncan, who unleashed a barnstorming final round of 59—bogey-free with 11 birdies, vaulting them 13 spots up the leaderboard.
“I think today’s session was a great day of teamwork. I started the first two holes with birdies, and that was because like Lindy put on, like, her approach shot was on the green. It was giving me a lot of comfort and confidence, so I was feeling comfortable making the putts.
In the middle of the round, I was getting a little nervous and over-excited, and Lindy, because it’s my first season, and Lindy went to the same university as I did. She’s like being the veteran out there and calming me down. When I made a mistake, she was there making pars and birdies.”
In fifth place were Albane Valenzuela and Sarah Schmelzel, whose 66 capped a stellar, bogey-free Sunday. “It’s definitely the most fun week of the year,” Schmelzel remarked. “Getting to play with one of your best friends… you don’t get many chances to do that.”
Acing It: Davidson’s Perfect Strike
Australia’s Karis Davidson added her name to the highlight reel with a hole-in-one at the par-3 7th. Her gap wedge from 104 yards wasn’t just perfection—it was profitable.
Through the CME Group’s season-long donation program, Davidson’s ace added another $20,000 to the tally for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, bringing the season total to $180,000.
“Yeah, actually had a hole-in-one on the practice round with an 8-iron this week. It was, yeah, just a perfect half shot 50 and just it bounced and went in the hole, yeah.” said Davidson, in a tone that made aces sound as routine as Monday mornings.
Season Stats That Matter
Lee now sits at No. 21 in the CME rankings, having made 13 cuts in 14 starts, with four top-10s and $1.25 million in earnings this season.
Im, ranked No. 28, has made 12 cuts in 15 starts, adding nearly $900,000 to her season haul.
Both were KLPGA stalwarts before crossing the Pacific and now find themselves firmly in LPGA territory—with real estate in the winner’s circle.
Their dual triumph also makes them the first team in Dow Championship history where both players earn their maiden LPGA Tour wins in the same week. Now that’s chemistry.
Dow Championship’s Role in the Modern Game
Beyond the scorecards and sponsor logos, the Dow Championship is quietly evolving into one of the most intriguing stops on the LPGA calendar. The team format strips away the usual stoicism and reminds us all—players and fans alike—that golf can still be a game of joy, camaraderie, and, yes, heart-thumping drama.
As Im and Lee hoisted the trophy under a Michigan sun, you could feel it: This wasn’t just a win. It was a watershed. And with their fearless swings and firecracker spirit, it’s safe to say the LPGA Tour won’t be the same.
