Lydia Ko picked up her third LPGA Tour title of the season when she gained the Kroger Queen Metropolis Championship, closing with a 9-under 63, turning spherical a two-shot deficit.
Of her final 4 occasions, Ko has gained three of them, which incorporates an Olympic gold medal victory at Paris 2024, amassing sufficient factors for the LPGA Corridor of Fame and successful the Ladies’s Open at St. Andrew’s.
“It’s been pretty surreal,” Ko mentioned after her five-shot victory on the TPC River’s Bend over Jeeno Thitikul, who closed with a 70.
New Zealand’s Ko celebrates the victory (AP Photograph/Carolyn Kaster)
Thitikul had a two-shot lead after eight holes of the ultimate spherical. She made bogey on the par-4 ninth. Ko made a 10-foot birdie putt on the tenth to tie for the lead, after which pulled forward with a 12-foot eagle putt on the par-5 eleventh.
Ko took command when she made birdie and Thitikul made bogey on each the thirteenth and fifteenth holes.
Thitikul two-putted for birdie on the par-5 closing gap to no less than end alone in second, one shot forward of Haeran Ryu (67).
“It’s just like insane – it’s super insane. Her putter was on fire today,” Thitikul mentioned of enjoying alongside Ko. “I respect her as like my older sister, as a legend, and also as my role model. It was such a really good experience watching her in my eyes on the same tee box, on the same greens, just like a VIP seat.”
Nelly Korda, the No. 1 participant in ladies’s golf who nonetheless has a snug lead within the Race to CME Globe along with her six victories this yr, had a 68 and tied for fifth, 9 pictures behind.
Ko had the low spherical of the week on the TPC River’s Bend.
“To have a round like this to cap off a win is pretty special,” she mentioned.
Ko subsequent week heads to South Korea to play within the Hana Monetary Group Championship. Will probably be an opportunity for her to achieve 30 profession titles worldwide.
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