SEOUL, Republic of Korea — The three seed Republic of Korea Team faced off with the six seed Sweden Team on day one of the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown at New Korea Country Club. LPGA Tour winners Jin Young Ko and Haeran Ryu battled it out with 2025 LPGA Tour rookie Ingrid Lindblad and Solheim Cup stalwart Madelene Sagstrom, while Hyo Joo Kim and Hye-Jin Choi went up against the duo of Maja Stark and Linn Grant.

Take a look at how each of the above Pool B matches played out on Thursday in Korea.

Jin Young Ko/Haeran Ryu vs. Ingrid Lindblad/Madelene Sagstrom

Score: Tied

The hosts of the 2025 Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown sent out major champion Jin Young Ko and LPGA Tour winner Haeran Ryu in their first match to set the tone for the Korean Team. The pair matched up with Ingrid Lindblad and Madelene Sagstrom, who both have found the winner’s circle on the LPGA Tour in 2025.

The Korean Team sent the first blow, winning the first hole in front of a lively home crowd. It only took until the next hole for the Swedes to tie the match with Sagstrom making birdie, followed by another victorious hole at the par-4 third hole to give the pair the lead.

The rookie-veteran duo maintained the lead for nine holes until the Koreans on the par-4 12th hole with a birdie. Another birdie followed on the par-3 12th hole, giving Ko and Ryu the lead for the first time since the opening hole. It was short lived however, with Lindblad making a birdie on the par-5 14th hole to tie the match once again.

That was where the match remained, with both teams trading birdies and pars on their way to a half point to start the week.

“I would say our games are very similar, so we kind of hit the same clubs. Normally actually I don't let people read my putts, and I was like, Ingrid got it,” said Sagstrom.

Hyo Joo Kim/Hye-Jin Choi vs. Maja Stark/Linn Grant

Score: Republic of Korea wins 3 and 2

The second pairing for the home team was Hyo Joo Kim and Hye-Jin Choi, who put the first full point on the board for the Korean Team, defeating Maja Stark and Linn Grant, 3 and 2.

Kim and Choi felt in control the whole day, never trailing in the match and only being tied for two holes of the 16 played. The Koreans got their first win with a birdie from Choi on the par-3 second hole, which was erased on the next hole when Grant made birdie on the par-4 third hole.

From hole 4 on, it was all Korea. Kim’s first birdie of the day came at the par-5 fourth hole, giving the Koreans the lead that they would not give back. Another birdie from Kim on No. 6 moved the lead to 2 up, and another winning birdie at No. 9 moved the lead to 3 up heading into the final nine holes.

That 3-up lead held for the Koreans Team. With the teams tying the 10th through 16th holes, pars all around on the par-3 16th hole sealed the 3-and-2 victory for Kim and Choi.

Republic of Korea Team vs. Sweden Team Day One Results: 2025 Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown

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