Korean-New Zealander Lydia Ko (27) won the opening game of the 2024 season of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour, making a splendid comeback for the first time in a year and two months.
Lydia Ko shot 2-under 70 in the final round of the LPGA Tour’s 2024 season opener “Hilton Grand Bacations Tournament of Champions” (total prize money of $1.5 million), which ended at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club (par 72) in Orlando, Florida on the 22nd (Korea time), winning the title with a total of 14-under 274 in the fourth round. 마카오카지노도메인
Lydia Ko, who beat Alexa Pano of the U.S. by two strokes and lifted the trophy, won her first championship of the tournament and her 20th career LPGA Tour title, winning 225,000 U.S. dollars.
Ko has become the 15th player to win more than 20 games on the LPGA tour, adding one more point to the Hall of Fame and just one point left before joining the event. Having failed to add a single win due to her poor performance last year, Ko has emerged as a rising star for the first time in a year and two months since winning the CME Group Tour Championship in November 2022, heralding her stellar revival in the new year.
Ko, who swept the top prize money award and the player of the year in 2022, received humble report card of 90th in the prize money ranking, 100th in CME Globe Point and 61st in average at-bats, with only two top-10 winners, let alone winning a prize in 20 competitions last year. Her world ranking, which used to be No. 1, had fallen to 12th.
Ko, who started the final round with a two-shot lead, missed the green six times on the day, but made up for it with a short game and putt to maintain a two-shot lead with birdies whenever she had the opportunity.
Ko married Jung-jun, the son of Hyundai Card Vice Chairman Chung Tae-young, on December 30, 2022.
Pano, who played with Ko in the championship group, made birdies on the 16th (par 4) and 17th (par 3) in a row to belatedly catch up with her, but had to settle for second place (12 under). Brooke Henderson of Canada, the winner of last year who saved four pars including three consecutive birdies, saved face by ranking third (10 under).
Yoo Hae-ran shot two under par on the day to tie for 12th (four under). Yang Hee-young, who lost three pars, tied for 22nd (one over par), while Jeon In-ji fell behind to tied for 30th (seven under par).
