Lydia Ko has continued her remarkable late-season run in golfing events worldwide with yet another win on the LPGA Tour, her 30th professional victory and her 22nd on the LPGA Tour.
The 27-year-old New Zealander emerged from an early final round battle with Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul to win the Kroger Queen City Championship in Ohio by five shots after beginning the day two behind, her final round of 63 the best of the day by two shots.
Korea’s Haeran Ryu finished another shot back and alone in 3rd place.
For Ko, it was her third win in her last four starts including the Olympic Gold Medal and the AIG Open and after slipping outside the world top 20 in June she is now in third place, and with still several big events to come she might well finish the year in second place behind Nelly Korda.
Ko trailed Thitikul by two shots through 8 holes but unleashed a powerful back nine of 30 to walk away with the title as Thitikul just could not keep up.
For Ko it was her first start since her win at St Andrews three weeks ago and earlier in the week she described what the break and the current form meant to her.
“Yeah. I was always going to take the three weeks off regardless of what was going to happen in Europe. Obviously the best stretch I’ve had over a cumulative of three weeks with two wins there.
“But, yeah, I don’t know if it has really sunk in yet. I think my husband and I kind of turn to each other at times and go, wow, I can’t believe you won the Olympics and then the AIG Women’s Open. So it was kind of like being punched in the face twice in a very good way. Obviously very grateful.
“And a lot of people said, oh, it’s because you work hard. But like all of us work hard. And I think I’ve been very fortunate about the opportunities that have come in my career, and to be able to capitalize at some of the biggest events for me, especially knowing that Paris is going to be my last Olympics at least in that regards, it was special.
“I think the LPGA made a little video for me from like when I first won in Canada to winning in Paris, and I think that kind of brought tears to my eyes because just seeing my 15-year-old self and seeing how much I’ve grown as a person and as a player, it’s pretty surreal.
“I don’t want to go back through those times again. You know, obviously I want to relive the good moments, but I’ve had my own lows as well, and I think I’m most proud of being able to come through and on top of my struggles, because we all have it. And it’s never easy getting out of it, but I think that’s what I’m most proud of outside of just the results and the accolades in the end.”
Grace Kim finished as the best of the Australians when she tied for 19th with Minjee Lee and Stephanie Kyriacou sharing 27th place.
The LPGA now heads to Rogers in Arkansas for the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship although Ko will not play the event.
