In the 2025 KLPGA Tour, which held 31 events, wire-to-wire victories were recorded seven times—the second-highest in history after the record eight in 2008. Ironically, comeback victories also reached historic levels, with nine players achieving 10 come-from-behind wins.
Bang Shin-sil, who claimed three victories this season, won twice from behind at the High1 Resort Women's Open and the Nexen Saint Nine Masters. Noh Seung-hee pulled off a dramatic six-stroke comeback at The Heaven Masters. Lee Ye-won, Park Hyun-kyung, Sung Yu-jin, Bae So-hyun, Lee Da-yeon, Kim Min-ju, and Li Xiuying of China—who became the first foreign winner in 10 years—were all comeback champions.
Where there are comeback winners, there must also be players who lost from the lead. Including those in tied positions, 11 players entered the final day in first place only to see victory slip away: prize money leaders Hong Jung-min and Noh Seung-hee, as well as Bang Shin-sil, Ko Ji-won, Park Hye-jun, Lee Da-yeon, Kim Min-ju, Park Ji-young, Lee Chae-eun2, Park Ju-young, and Ma Da-som. Park Hye-jun, who tasted her first career victory this year, suffered two comeback defeats.
Interestingly, seven of these players were also champions this year: Hong Jung-min, Noh Seung-hee, Bang Shin-sil, Ko Ji-won, Park Hye-jun, Lee Da-yeon, and Kim Min-ju. Among them, four—Bang Shin-sil, Noh Seung-hee, Lee Da-yeon, and Kim Min-ju—also recorded comeback victories. They experienced both the sweetness of come-from-behind wins and the bitterness of blown leads.
Bang Shin-sil and Kim Min-ju particularly formed a "food chain" relationship, trading comeback victories against each other.
Kim Min-ju struck first. At the iM Financial Open in April, she started the final day five strokes behind in solo fifth place but fired a 5-under round to overtake overnight co-leaders Bang Shin-sil and Park Ju-young by three strokes.
Bang Shin-sil returned the favor at the High1 Resort Women's Open in July. While Kim Min-ju held a two-stroke lead after the third round, Bang rallied from solo second to win comfortably by three strokes.
Bang Shin-sil had already claimed a comeback victory at the Nexen Saint Nine Masters, held immediately after her blown lead at the iM Financial Open in April. Starting the final day tied for fifth, two strokes back, she shot 7-under for the round—including 4-under over the final five holes—to deny Park Ji-young the title.
The early season was particularly rich in comebacks. At the Doosan E&C We've Championship, the domestic season opener held just before the iM Financial Open, Lee Ye-won produced a thrilling finish. Hong Jung-min led by one stroke over Lee heading into the final day, but Lee holed an eagle on the par-5 18th hole to edge Hong, who made birdie, by one stroke.
Park Hyun-kyung's comeback at the E1 Charity Open was aided by her opponent's mistake. Lee Chae-eun2, who held a one-stroke lead after the second round, made bogey on the final hole, handing the title to Park without a playoff.
The most dramatic comeback of the year belonged to Noh Seung-hee at The Heaven Masters, where she overcame a six-stroke deficit. After two rounds, Lee Da-yeon held the solo lead while Noh languished in a tie for seventh, six strokes back. Yet Noh prevailed after a playoff.
The largest deficit overcome in KLPGA Tour history is eight strokes, achieved by Yoo So-yeon in 2009 and by Park Gyeol and Bae Sun-woo in 2018. Five players have come back from seven strokes, and with Noh Seung-hee's feat, seven players have now accomplished six-stroke comebacks.
Noh Seung-hee was both the protagonist of the year's greatest comeback and the supporting character overshadowed in another memorable finish.
At the Hite Jinro Championship, the season's final major, Noh held the third-round lead with Sung Yu-jin one stroke behind. Heavy rain delayed the final round, and darkness forced the playoff to be played under floodlights for the first time in nine years. Sung and Noh battled through four playoff holes before Sung sank a two-meter putt to claim the title in the darkness—becoming the comeback winner while Noh was left in the shadows.
