Ko clinches player of year with Naples title
NAPLES, Fla. — Facing high stakes against her toughest opponent, Jin Young Ko delivered a performance that was close to perfect Sunday to win the richest prize in women’s golf and overtake Nelly Korda for LPGA player of the year.
Ko opened with a 25foot birdie putt and never looked back in the CME Group Tour Championship. She shot 30 on the front nine and closed with the low round of the tournament at 9-under 63 for a one-shot victory over Nasa
Hataoka of Japan.
So flawless was Ko that she hit the final 63 greens in regulation at Tiburon Golf Club.
“I don’t know what happened out there,” said Ko, who has been coping with a left wrist injury since May that limited her practice before rounds. “This week was amazing.”
This victory brought big spoils, beyond the $1.5 million prize to the winner.
The 26-year-old South Korean had to win the tournament to claim the points-based LPGA player of the year, the second time in three years Ko has won the award.
Korda’s big year of becoming a major champion and Olympic gold medalist ended with a thud. She couldn’t keep pace at the start and was never a serious factor when Ko pulled away on the back nine.
The 23-year-old American closed with a 69 and tied for fifth, six shots behind.
“It was the Jin Young Ko show today, and honestly, it was cool to see,” Korda said. “I just sat back and watched all day.”
Gooch gets win at Sea Island
Talor Gooch was playing too well to get fazed by anything Sunday in the RSM Classic, and it paid off with his first PGA Tour title when he closed with a 6-under 64 for a three-shot victory at Sea Island, Ga.
Gooch ran off three birdies in four holes to start the back nine and never let anyone get close to cap off a strong fall with the ultimate prize.
The victory moved him to the top of the Fedex Cup standings, to No. 33 in the world ranking and to
Augusta National in April for the Masters.
“To finish the fall season off like I just did, it’s a dream come true,” Gooch said.
Gooch tied the tournament record of 22-under 260 set by Kevin Kisner in 2014.
Mackenzie Hughes of Canada finished second at 19-under 263. Sebastian Munoz (65) was alone in third.
Morikawa moves to No 1 in Europe
British Open champion, Ryder Cup winner and now the first American to finish a season as the European Tour’s No. 1 player.
It’s been quite the year for Collin Morikawa.
The 24-year-old Californian made five birdies in his last seven holes to overhaul Rory Mcilroy and win the Dubai World Tour Championship with a final-round 6-under 66.
With the three-shot victory, Morikawa captured the Race to Dubai title as the leading points scorer on the European Tour in the 2021 season.
“It’s an honor to be the first American to do that,” Morikawa said.