Ko storms up to second in Shanghai
Lydia Ko told her caddie, Johnny Scott, to stay out of her putting, and it almost helped her to a stunning victory in Shanghai yesterday.
New Zealand’s top woman golfer stormed up the leaderboard from a seemingly hopeless position in the Buick LPGA Shanghai, shooting a final round of 66 to finish second equal, two shots behind the winner Danielle Kang, of the United States.
Kang finished 13-under after a final round of 69, and Ko ended in a seven-way tie on 11-under including rankings leader Ariya Jutanugarn.
Ko was 11th on the LPGA order of merit going into the tournament and will likely re-enter the top-10.
It was Ko’s third top-five finish of the year, after her win in the Mediheal
Championship in April and third placing in the
Meijer LPGA
Classic in
June – 10 tournaments ago.
Ko’s caddie Scott – who was only hired this year – quipped he’d been ‘‘sacked’’ from reading her putts in the final round and she confirmed it in a post-round interview, not in such blunt terms.
‘‘I just said ‘hey, today I’m going to try and read it but if it’s difficult or iffy I’m going to call you and maybe you can help. It worked today, I don’t know how long this is going to go but I tried to have my 100 per cent commitments for every shot,’’ Ko said.
Ko started the final round 20th, six shots off the pace, after a patchy third round of two-under 70.
Apart from her solitary blemish on the fourth, a bogey six, Ko rattled the cup with seven birdies including three on her final five holes in a back nine of 32.
That got her within one shot of the lead but Kang held her nerve in the final few holes.
‘‘I tried my best out there and it was pretty tough with the wind on the first hole. It was a little breezier than it was forecast to be and with some of the pin positions it was going to be a tough day out there, ‘‘ Ko said.
‘‘I tried to make as many birdies as I can and give myself good opportunities. I felt like I played solid, especially down the stretch, and it was nice to finish strong.’’