Australia defeated the United States 2.5-0.5 in the LPGA International Crown final in Goyang on October 26, securing its first title in the event. Minjee Lee and Hannah Green won their singles matches to clinch the victory, while the foursomes ended in a tie. This marked the fifth edition of the tournament, producing its fifth different champion.
In the International Crown final on October 26 at New Korea Country Club in Goyang, South Korea, the fourth-seeded Australia defeated the top-seeded United States 2.5-0.5 to claim its first title in the biennial LPGA match-play event. This was the fifth edition of the tournament, with previous winners including Spain, the U.S., South Korea, and Thailand.
In the first singles match, Minjee Lee beat Angel Yin 2&1. Lee took the lead with a birdie on the ninth hole, but Yin tied it with a long birdie putt on the 10th. Lee regained the advantage with a birdie on the 12th, and after a back-and-forth, she birdied the 15th and 16th before saving par on the par-5 17th where Yin bogeyed. Hannah Green sealed the win for Australia by defeating Yealimi Noh 2&1 in the second singles. Green birdied holes four through six for an early lead, extended it on the 12th, and held off Noh's birdie on the 15th with a birdie on the 17th.
The foursomes match ended in a tie, earning Australia a half-point against Lilia Vu and Lauren Coughlin. The U.S. lost the first hole but won the fifth with a par and took the lead with a birdie on the eighth. Australia responded by winning the 11th (U.S. bogey) and the 14th with pars to lead 1-up, though the match concluded after the U.S. eagled the 17th with the outcome already decided.
Korean-Australian star Minjee Lee, with three LPGA majors, was named tournament MVP. "I'm really excited that we were able to win all together," Lee said. "I think it's even sweeter because I could do it with all of these girls. Obviously, we all played with a lot of grit, and a lot of perseverance and resilience this week." Stephanie Kyriacou noted the team's camaraderie: "I definitely think it helps. We all can tolerate each other pretty well. We hang out on and off the golf course most weeks."
The event featured seven countries—Australia, the U.S., Thailand, China, Japan, Sweden, and host South Korea—plus a new World Team of top-ranked players from other nations. Teams were divided into Pools A and B, with the top two from each advancing to semifinals. South Korea finished third in Pool B, missing the semifinals for the second straight year. In the semifinals, the U.S. beat Japan 2-1, and Australia overcame the World Team 2-1.
