Maineville, OHIO − Lydia Ko’s stellar summer continued Sunday at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G.
Ko, who entered Sunday’s final round at TPC River’s Bend facing a two-stroke deficit against clubhouse leader Jeeno Thitikul, fired a tournament-best 63 for her 22nd career victory on the LPGA Tour.
“I played really solid on the first day and just kept giving myself a lot of good opportunities,” Ko said. “Even though there are some tougher holes out here at TPC River’s Bend, I felt really comfortable.”
Ko, who won an Olympic gold medal this summer and secured a berth in the LPGA Hall of Fame, made her move at the turn Sunday afternoon at TPC River’s Bend. Thitikul had just landed an eagle on the par-5 eighth hole to take a two-stroke lead but went on to bogey No. 9.
Ko knocked in for par to move one back of the lead, then took advantage of Thitikul missing back-to-back greens on the back-9.
More: LPGA leaderboard for final round of 2024 Kroger Queen City Championship | Final Results
Ko notched a birdie on No. 10, then landed an eagle on the par-5 11th hole while Thitikul had to settle for back-to-back tap-in pars. Ko took a two-stroke lead and wouldn’t let it go en route to the title.
Ko, the World No. 3, also won the AIG Women’s Open at St. Andrews in August and triumphed at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January. Sunday marked the first time the 27-year-old has won in back-to-back starts since 2016 and it’s the fifth time in her career she’s won at least three events in a year.
“It’s been surreal,” Ko said. “Never in a million years would I have guessed that I now would’ve gotten into the Hall of Fame through winning the gold in Paris and then winning my first major since 2016.”
Thitikul pulled within a stroke of the lead by sinking a long birdie putt on the par-3 12th hole, but Ko was relentless in pulling away. She was aggressive enough at the turn to take the lead and consistent to keep it with five birdies and an eagle over a 10-hole stretch.
By the time she knocked in a seven-foot par putt on No. 17, Ko was in cruise control heading into a challenging par-5 to end the tournament. She was all smiles walking down the fairway after hitting another green in regulation and promptly ended the tournament with her seventh birdie of the day and the celebration was on.
“You could win by ten strokes and still never feel like it was an easy round. I just want to give it my all,” Ko said.
Nelly Korda lands in top 5 after strong finish
World No. 1 Nelly Korda put on a show in front of the large crowds that followed her throughout the tournament.
Korda’s excellence Sunday on the back-9 was too late to threaten the top of the leaderboard, but she did move up six spots with three consecutive birdies to finish tied for fifth place. Korda was searching for her seventh LPGA Tour victory of the season until a 70 on Friday and a 69 in the third round.
Korda’s putter finally got hot on the back-9, when she rattled off three consecutive birdies.
“It was an interesting week, for sure. I don’t think I had my best stuff, but (I) played some solid golf here and there,” Korda said. “Overall happy with the way I played coming off last week and my energy levels.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Lydia Ko storms back to win Kroger Queen City Championship
