Ko colossal with triumph on debut
SOUTH Korean young gun Jin Young Ko has already ticked off one of her major goals for her debut LPGA Tour season after a brilliant threeshot triumph in the Women’s Australian Open at Kooyonga yesterday.
The 22-year-old listed two major ambitions on her wishlist for 2018, winning her first tournament as a member of the world’s most prestigious women’s golf tour and claiming the rookie of the year crown.
One down and one to go, and who is going to stop the richly talented Ko from achieving the second?
Ko held her nerve for a three-under 69 and 14-under total to secure victory by three shots from another South Korean, Hyejin Choi, and be the first player in 66 years to win their first event as a LPGA Tour cardholder.
Perth star Hannah Green, entering just her second season as a professional and des- tined for big things on the fairways, was a stroke further back. Fellow Australian Katherine Kirk fired the final round’s leading score of sevenunder par 65 to jump into fourth.
“My friends said to me after the third round to have the same feeling as if I led by 10 strokes, just be relaxed,” Ko said. “We will party tonight and have some wine.”
Claiming a tournament win after leading from the first day in such elite company is an imposing challenge and Ko’s class and composure shone on the final day to achieve the feat in impressive fashion.
She led by only two strokes after 12 holes and the title was still there to be secured.
Hyejin was making her move and Green was lurking if she faltered. But Ko holed a terrific putt on the 13th for birdie to regain a telling advantage.
Her aim was to keep hitting the middle of the greens and that ploy was no more evident than on the 17th with her outstanding approach after her buffer had again been reduced to two and work still needed to be done.
The testing 6m putt finished at the bottom of the cup for birdie, allowing Ko a moment of relief knowing the title was all but hers and a chance to celebrate with a victory lap down the 18th.
Green has made an outstanding start to her LPGA Tour career, backing up her tied 11th in the season opener in the Bahamas.
“I’ve started off really well. My goal was to get into every major and I know that’s quite hard, being a rookie this year, so hopefully I’ve made enough money and keep making money to make sure that I’m definitely in,” Green said.
“No, I couldn’t have asked for a better start.”
Kirk bagged five birdies on the front nine, including four in succession from the third, before adding three birdies in the final four holes.
“A little bit unexpected but at the same time I didn’t make anything the first three days, so I guess maybe I was due to make some today,” Kirk said.